Legacy
by TKeiraLea
Summary: The sequel to Echoes of the Past, this story follows the lives of Jaina SoloFel and Jagged Fel as they face a postwar Galactic Alliance.
1. Prologue

Title: **Legacy**  
Author: T'Keira Lea  
Timeframe: Post-Destiny's Way AU  
Characters: Jagged Fel, Jaina Solo-Fel  
Genre: Alternate Universe  
Keywords: Jaina, Jag, Force Evolution Series   
Notes: Sequel to Echoes of the Past, this story follows Jaina Solo-Fel and Jagged Fel as they return to a post war Galactic Alliance

Disclaimer: Lucasfilm owns all the rights to Star Wars. I don't. No infringement is intended or profit to be made by me.

**LEGACY**

_There is light and dark in all of us. In those of us that the Force shines the brightest, the darkness can be all consuming when the light flickers out. – Jaina Solo-Fel to Valin Horn_

**PROLOGUE**

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

The Yuuzhan Vong had entered the galaxy as marauding conquerors, tattooed warriors using their strength and skill to rip apart the New Republic. They had not been satisfied with merely removing the heart of the New Republic, reducing Coruscant to rubble and with it tearing down the foundation of government that had once united the galaxy, but rather these invaders had succeeded in also ripping out the hearts of its people.

So many had been lost to the ravages of war, yet in the midst of it all two hearts had found a love that transcended everything else – a love that demanded to be free of the shackles of war and suffering. With the light of this love, Jaina Solo, tiny in size but generous in fighting spirit, had found a way to defeat an enemy bent on ending all that her loved ones had fought and died to secure. Size mattered not to Jaina as she challenged the evil scavengers, even as their disease devoured her beauty from within.

Through it all, Jag Fel had trusted in the love he had embraced by throwing aside the rigid structures he had been raised to uphold. The love that had consumed him provided the light which would guide the newly formed Galactic Alliance through its darkest hours. His child – a precious gift – had been the key to unlocking the mysteries of the Force to the Jedi. The unborn daughter of Jaina and Jag had revealed the Yuuzhan Vong in the Force, allowing Jaina the insight to defeat the Supreme Overlord at the Battle of Naboo.

The act of spearheading the final campaign and its ultimate success, which had led to the Yuuzhan Vong's surrender, had come at the ultimate cost. Jaina's body had failed her. Only with the unbendable love of those she had saved fortifying her spirit did Jaina ultimately find a way to overcome the destruction of her body.

Safe on Csilla from those who might wish them harm, Jaina and Jag had welcomed Keira Winter Fel into the galaxy, a blessing after all their sacrifices. There was still a price to pay for cheating death however, and that price had been Keira's eyesight. The proud parents refused to be daunted by the limitations imposed by this obstacle. Instead, they accepted the gift of life and hope of a peaceful galaxy in which to raise their family, no matter what barriers fell in their way. Nothing possibly could be more daunting than all they had endured so far; they held that truth above all others.

The Fel family grew in love and faith, sheltered from the trappings of the life that had consumed their existence for so long, while others strove to ensure that Jaina's victory would secure a future for families everywhere. The Yuuzhan Vong, now without the smothering leadership of Shimmra, found that many of their beliefs had been twisted for the Supreme Overlord's personal gain. As the walls of their ideological system came tumbling down, the Yuuzhan Vong searched for a way to rebuild their society.

Most importantly, the Yuuzhan Vong quickly realized their deities had been no more than a method for Shimmra to subject his will on the people. The Trickster charade was revealed for what it was – a cunning deception. Despite this fact, the Yuuzhan Vong still held Jaina in the highest regard as it was revealed that she, a woman bearing a child, had withstood the assault of the shaped disease and at the same time defeated the Supreme Overlord, ultimately freeing the Yuuzhan Vong from their own shackles.

Having paved the way for their heroes' return, those on Naboo, the temporary seat of power for the Galactic Alliance until the reclamation of Coruscant could be completed, continued to work on rebuilding the galaxy to what is once was. All the while they anxiously await the time Jaina and Jag would deem it safe enough to venture out of the Unknown Regions and back into their lives…


	2. The Gift of Love

**JAINA AND JAG – HOMECOMING **

**CHAPTER 1**

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch._

Her lungs burned with the frigid blast of air forced in with each strained breath, adding to the overall ache from a general lack of oxygen. That was not the only place in Jaina that was crying out from overexertion, but she continued on. Her footsteps dug noisily into the packed snow.

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch._

The sound of her feet against the packed snow kept a steady rhythm. She dare not decrease her stride, or she would never make it safely to the estate. He was close behind, catching her with every second.

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch._

Jaina dug deep inside herself and fortified her resolve. This was the surest test; she had to make it to the front door, to safety. She had to succeed for the sake of her beautiful baby girl sleeping inside. Jaina had no desire to fail her daughter, to leave her motherless and alone. For Keira's sake, Jaina continued on when her body wished to fail her.

_Crunch. Crunch._

Her pursuer was closing quickly. A sudden fear swelled up. She was not going to make it.

_Crunch. Crunch._

She was so close; the stairs leading to the front door was only a couple steps away…

_Crunch._

Then the pair of arms tackled her like a vice grip, pulling her feet from the ground, sweeping her off her feet and away from the steps. Jaina let loose a shriek as she felt the crush of her pursuer, pressing her against his solid form.

"Jagged Fel, put me down this very instant!"

Jag laughed amid the ragged breaths forced by his pursuit. Jaina had been out for an afternoon run, when Jag had met her at the front gate, nearly a thousand feet from the house. When Jaina had sped past without a second glance in a playful game, Jag had taken it upon himself to entertain her mood.

Although she felt joy and safety in her husband's arms, there was some disappointment in herself. Jaina had secretly wished to beat him back, thereby proving she had suitably recovered from her illness and pregnancy. Only when she felt completely healed, and thereby capable of protecting her family, could she entertain thoughts of returning to Naboo.

The warm moist press of Jag's lips to the back of her neck squashed any self-loathing and replaced it with a warm feeling. Jag had set her feet back on the ground at some point, and Jaina twisted within his arms. Gazing up at Jag as he crushed her tightly to him, their bodies heaved against each other from the effort of the chase. The resulting undeniable tension caused the couple to break into uncontrollable laughter.

Once they both regained their breath and composure, Jag spoke. "Some welcome, wife of mine. I leave early from work to see how you ladies are making out on your visit from town, and you blow by me at the gate. I was hoping for a little more of a warm reception."

Jaina's eyes sparkled. "I think you should not be encouraged to sneak away from work, husband of mine. I think my Rebel ways are rubbing off on you a little too much."

Jag grinned. "When you have two beautiful ladies waiting for you it's hard to keep your focus on work."

Jaina wrapped her arms around Jag's neck. "How beautiful?"

"Beautiful enough to chase from the front gate without benefit of a parka."

It was then that Jaina realized Jag's teeth were beginning to chatter. She giggled, her body luxuriating in the warmth of her specially designed cold-weather workout suit, then stretched up and pressed her lips to his. In the bond of the kiss, she passed a feeling of general warmth, using the Force to heat his chilled body.

Jaina could feel Jag smiling under the kiss, but her concern for Jag's well-being overrode her body's hunger for more passion. Jaina broke the kiss, jumping out of Jag's arms. "Go in the house; I'll get the speeder."

Jaina turned and sprinted off before her husband could utter a protest. The speeder door was wide open from Jag's sudden departure. Jaina dropped into the driver's seat, then smoothed her palms along the steering yoke. She reached under the seat, feeling blindly for the handle to adjust the position forward and back. Once satisfied with her location relative to the controls, Jaina eased the throttle forward.

A sudden compulsion overtook her, causing Jaina to flip the speeder into reverse. Without looking over her shoulder, merely using the Force as her guide, Jaina whipped the speeder backwards until it was through the front gates, then spun the yoke hard to the right, forcing the vehicle into a one-eighty spin.

Now facing away from the estate, Jaina powered the speeder forward, using an aggressive application of the throttle until she was hurtling along the road toward Fak'ra City. Usually Syal let her drive since giving birth to Keira. Her daughter was always with them, so Jaina always erred on the side of caution. At the moment, Jaina had no such restrictions so she let it all hang out.

The winding road worked the natural contours of a nearly sheer cliff wall forged by a glacier that had passed hundreds of years previous. It provided plenty of cut-backs and challenging turns to get Jaina's blood racing. She kept the throttle at maximum as she neared the entry to a sharp reversing turn accentuated by a decent drop in elevation. At the last possible second, Jaina reversed throttle causing the tail end of the speeder to come around and slide through the turn. A quick adjustment on the repulsors kept the rear quarter panel from hitting the cliff wall.

Several corrections on the yoke were necessary to straighten the speeder's direction before another turn loomed ahead. Jaina enjoyed the exhilaration of flying, spinning, and turning until she reached the bottom of the cliff. Once down, she slowed the speeder to a stop, using the time to catch her breath.

A quick glance at the chrono on the dash revealed that her minor detour to the front door had taken fifteen minutes. Jaina had become so consumed by the ride she had lost track of time. Whipping the speeder around on the repulsors, Jaina shrugged her shoulders.

"Better do it faster up than down then."

The period spent negotiating the road back up the cliff seemed as timeless as the trip down, so when the front gates loomed ahead, Jaina could not help but frown. She controlled her speed down the driveway, coming to a stop before the front door. Despite her thermoregulating attire, the cold air bit at her as she popped the driver's door.

Jaina sprinted up the steps and burst into the house, rubbing her hands on opposite arms. "Brrrrrrrr."

Syal's voice called from the living room deeper in the house. "We are in here, Miss Speed Demon."

Jaina walked past the study and along the hall until emerging in the spacious living room, once elegantly decorated, now riddled with infant toys and a brightly colored playpen. Syal smiled up from her chair; Jag was lying at her feet with Keira propped over his head. He bounced the infant gently in his hands, and she gurgled happily.

Jag spoke to Jaina, the effects of his movements causing his voice to catch. "I was just showing Keira the difference between atmospheric entries in my clawcraft versus your X-wing."

Jaina crossed her legs and sat next to Jag on the floor. "So which is better?"

"Well, your X-wing is more like this." Jag rocked Keira from side to side. "And mine is more like this." He bounced her up and down, then pulled Keira down so she was resting on his chest. His daughter instantly worked at lifting her head. Jag turned to face Jaina. "Keira votes for the X-wing's ride."

"That's my girl."

Jag grimaced as Keira drooled on his uniform. "I still have time to convince her otherwise. I think I got all the repairs done. You won't recognize your fighter when you take it up again. I made several modifications I think you will like."

Jaina's face lit up. "So when can I fly it?"

Jag handed Keira over to Jaina and rolled up to sit across from her. "Whenever you want."

Jaina bounced Keira in her lap. "Did you hear that, young lady? Momma's going to get to fly."

Syal, who had silently listened to the conversation, interrupted with a thought. "I believe you were flying a few minutes ago."

"In the speeder? That was nothing. I mean Jag's speeder is fast for a land vehicle, but nothing compares to pushing the throttle down in my X-wing."

Syal chuckled. "You two are perfect for each other." She turned to Jag. "Is your father coming out to the estate as well, Jag?"

"No, he had some meetings this afternoon."

"Good, because I wasn't planning on cooking dinner. I was thinking about taking everyone to that new restaurant once we headed back to town. I do wish the winter season would hurry up and be over so we can stay on the estate again. Visits like this just remind me of how much the townhome is lacking."

Jaina shifted Keira up to her shoulder gently. "Did you get to see your flowers while you watched Keira?"

"Yes, Keira and I walked all through the hothouse, talking to the flowers as we went. They just needed some love."

"So we are good to go?"

Syal nodded. "Yes, is there an urgent need to get back to the townhome?"

Jaina whispered, "No, it's just that someone fell asleep after all the flying simulations. It might be a good time to go."

Syal jumped out of her chair. "Sounds like a plan."

Jaina handed the sleeping baby to Jag so she could stand. He stared up at his wife. "What's the rush?"

Jaina scooped Keira out of his outstretched hands. "Ride in the speeder with her for half an hour when she decides to scream at the top of her lungs, and then you'll understand."

Jag furrowed his brows. "It can't be that bad." Both women chuckled. "Can it?"

Syal eyed Jaina mischievously. "Let's just say Keira's Force abilities give new meaning to the word tantrum."

"Oh."

* * *

Tahiri clutched Rane's neck desperately, screaming for help at the top of her lungs. He moved in long powerful strides across the field. With some skillful maneuvering, she managed to twist her way out of his arms, then sprinted across the meadow. Seconds later, she was back in his strong embrace, her feet flying off the ground and skimming the long grass.

"Put me down, Rane Fel."

He laughed, the trembling of the sound vibrating against her skin. "Okay, you asked for it."

Tahiri felt the warmth of his touch vanish and then the sensation of falling. The feeling was eclipsed by the harsh liquid chill that enveloped her next. Tahiri emerged from the surface of the water sputtering and spitting. She ran her fingers along her face, rubbing the water from her eyes and wiping away her bangs.

Standing in the waist deep water, she stared up the sheer drop at Rane, who was perched on the edge like a conquering victor. "No fair, taking advantage of a helpless girl like that."

"I think you are far from helpless, and you deserved it for insulting my profession."

"I just said fighter pilots tend to be a little arrogant."

"Arrogance implies an unbacked claim of superiority, I take offense. My attitude is backed by amazing skill. I could generalize about Jedi; two can play that game."

Tahiri slapped the water. "I dare you."

"Well, let's see. Jedi tend to be a little overbearing, always thinking they kno-o-o-w…"

Rane plummeted over the edge, knocked off balance by some unseen hand, and landed in the water next to Tahiri, who erupted in a fit of giggles. As Rane heaved his soaked body up, he whipped his head, sending water spraying out from his blonde locks in Tahiri's direction. She shrieked in protest.

Rane glanced down at his white tank and khaki shorts, until moments before perfectly pressed, now muddy and soaked. "Look at my new clothes."

"Look at your new clothes? How about mine?"

Rane spared a glance at Tahiri; his eyes were taken hostage immediately. She stood with her arms crossed at her waist, just above the water line. Her blonde hair was plastered to her head, her teeth chattered slightly. Tahiri's white blouse, barely opaque when dry, clung to her body, leaving nothing to the imagination.

"It's an improvement, if I do say so." A seductive grin emerged on his lips.

Tahiri glanced down, her mouth gaping open as she realized the impropriety of her situation. She quickly crossed her hands over her chest as a blush tinted her cheeks. Tahiri's started to turn away in embarrassment when Rane scooped her into his arms, so her body was suspended over the water.

She tried to look away, her arms still crossed as he spoke. "Tahiri. Tahiri, look at me." Rane waited until she complied. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you."

Tahiri shook her head. "It's not that."

She looked away trying to figure out what it was exactly so she could verbalize how she felt. With Anakin, everything was pure and sweet and innocent. There was love; it burned true and strong. They had been young though; she and Anakin belonged to each other in the purest form. With Rane it was completely different. There was passion and sparks and heat, uncontrollable heat. Sometimes it was so hot it scared her.

"Do I scare you?"

Tahiri shook her head side to side, even though he had plucked the words right out of her mind.

"I have tried to take it slow, but Sweet Force, you are so beautiful, sometimes I forget myself."

Tahiri snaked her arms around his neck. She could feel Rane's self-inflicted pain as he berated himself. "I know, and I love you for it."

Rane dropped her legs, so Tahiri was facing him, her arms still around his neck. "What did you say?"

Tahiri rewound her thoughts. _I love you for it. Is that what I said?_ She thought it would feel like a betrayal, but it was not. Anakin was locked away somewhere in her heart in a special place. There was room for another love, a different love. Tahiri smiled. "I said I love you for it."

Tahiri could not have gotten off another word for Rane covered her mouth in a kiss. All his careful control was thrown to the wind as his tongue invaded her mouth and his arms pressed their wet bodies together. Then he retreated and placed kisses all over her face – on her eyes, the scars on her forehead, nose and chin – before conquering her lips once more.

Finally Rane relinquished his claim and pulled away. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

Tahiri managed to whimper, "Mmm-huh," before resting her cheek against his chest.

"I love you, too, Tahiri. I love you, too." Rane kissed the top of her head before tightening his hold, like he was afraid to let go.

* * *

Jacen sat in silence absorbing in the beautiful sight of the meadow. Tall grass danced in the slight breeze coming off the waterfalls nearby. A mist permeated the air, giving a cool edge to the atmosphere. A variety of insects fluttered around, not bothering but enjoying the investigation of the assortment of foods set out on the blanket.

Next to him, Tenel Ka leaned back on her one hand, her red hair blowing casually around her face and shoulders, as if she had not a care in the world. She must have sensed him watching her, because her eyes opened, and she turned the warm skin of her face to greet his brown-eyed stare.

"What is it, my friend?"

Jacen smiled bashfully, then glanced down at blade of grass as he ripped it from its roots. "I was just thinking…"

"Thinking?"

Jacen returned her gaze, looking into her green eyes. "Yeah, thinking about how things could have been different."

Tenel Ka nodded. "Ah. Thinking about you and me."

Jacen grimaced. "Yes, about you and me." He inhaled sharply. "Do you regret becoming Queen?"

"I have been able to bring stability to Hapes and helped forge a strong front against the Yuuzhan Vong. My role as Queen has brought me satisfaction."

Jacen rolled onto his back, locking his hands behind his head. He turned his head so he was looking up at Tenel Ka, his friend, who at the moment looked nothing like Tenel Ka, the Queen. "I know it has brought you satisfaction. Do you regret being forced into it?"

"Regrets are not the way of the Jedi. Why waste energy fighting something you cannot change?" Jacen rolled his head so he was staring up into the sun. Tenel Ka continued to study his face. "If there is one thing I miss, it is having you in my life." She cupped his cheek as she spoke.

Jacen rolled his head back and kissed the palm of her hand. "I love you."

"As do I, but it is not the love that demands the boundaries of my station be thrown aside. Do you understand?"

Jacen wrapped his fingers around her hand. "Perfectly."

Tenel Ka eased back so that she too was lying on the blanket. "There will be someone for you, my friend, a love great and strong and undeniable."

"I hope so. I hope for something as powerful as what Jaina has with Jag. I want to be happy like that one day."

Tenel Ka chuckled once. "Are you jealous?"

Jacen would have answered, but a piercing cry ripped through the calm air. Jacen and Tenel Ka shot to their feet. Both turned to the sound, catching sight of Rane carrying Tahiri toward the lake at the base of the waterfalls. Tahiri disappeared in a splash of water.

Jacen shook his head. "Jealous times two, I think." He held out a hand. "Come on; let's head back to the Lake House. I think this meadow is going to become too crowded with us here in a minute."

Tenel Ka accepted his hand, weaving her fingers through his. "A fact."

Together they walked along the wooded path leading to the Lake House, once the Amidala retreat, now belonging to Jacen's parents. After a minute of silence, Jacen addressed Tenel Ka.

"I am glad you could make it for the dedication of the new Jedi Academy. I am especially glad you came out a week early so we could spend some time together."

Tenel Ka smiled ruefully. "Even a queen needs a vacation every once in a while."

Jacen smirked. "A fact."

Donning a feral grin, the Queen of Hapes eyed her escort. "You are too smug for your own good, my friend Jacen. I challenge you to a race back to the Lake House."

"I accept."

Tenel Ka assumed a stance from which she would start running. "Ready, set…" In the blink of an eye, she blasted forward, leaving Jacen to gawk at her flaming hair fanning out behind her.

* * *

Jaina leapt over a sweeping leg, intended to cut her own legs out from under her. She hitched her right leg up, pushing off Jag as his kick carried him around, then made contact in the middle of his back and sent him stumbling across the sparring mat. Without hesitation she followed at a run, but to his credit, Jag recovered quickly to deal a _lethal_ blow toward her neck with his elbow. Only a last minute block with her right arm shunted the impact away.

Jag wrapped his arm in an abrupt sweep around her right arm, then flipped her over his back. She landed with a loud _thud_ on the mat as the air escaped her lungs. Jaina rolled to escape his downward plunge in an attempt to end the match. She twisted her torso, scissoring her legs at the same time. The effect pinned Jag between the strength of her thighs. He tried to use his momentum to free himself, but Jaina spun with him until they ended with Jag underneath her, his arms locked below her legs. Before Jag could bring his legs up to ward her off, Jaina delivered a match ending face blow, pulling the punch less than an inch from his nose.

"Point," Jag panted between breaths.

Jaina grinned down like a tusk-cat that had made its first kill. "I beat you."

Jag's chest still heaved from the exertion. "It was only a matter of time. You were always better at hand-to-hand combat than I was."

"Yes, but you are still one of the best the Chiss have to offer, which means there are few who could beat me." Jaina flipped her hair over as she spoke; her braid had fallen out somewhere near the height of the match.

Jag eyed Jaina as she swept her hair back in a ponytail. "Are you going to let me up?"

Jaina grinned down, noticing the commanding position she held. Jag, shirtless and dressed only in his black fighting pants, was trapped; his bare muscular arms locked under the vice grip of her legs as she straddled his wiry torso. The sweat produced by their efforts glistened across the expanse of his chest. Jaina shifted slightly over the top of him.

"I thought you liked it like this?" She feigned an innocent air.

Jag offered a wry grin. "I think you like it more."

Jaina slid along his torso so she was lying on top of him, her thin tank plastered to his chest. Their bodies deepened the contact with every breath as each struggled to reach a new equilibrium after their activity. Jaina kept her brown eyes fixed on Jag's green gaze. He appeared trapped in her stare until she lowered her head and kissed his salty neck.

Jag fell into her trap, luxuriating in the feel of her lips on his neck. She licked and nipped up to his ear, then sucked his lobe into her mouth causing Jag to moan. His hands slipped along the sleek lines of her ribs stopping just under her arms. Suddenly, he tensed and Jaina felt the reluctance of late take over his body. A second later, she was abruptly deposited on the mat beside him. Her disappointment was reflected in her hands slapping the mat.

Jag ignored her, jumping to his feet. "I need to get back to work." He offered Jaina a hand, which she accepted. Despite her frustration, she offered a polite smile as Jag yanked her to her feet. Jag averted his gaze quickly, dropping his green eyes. "Do you need a ride back to the townhome?"

Jaina strode over to the edge of the mat. "No, I think I will run back and work off some of this excess energy."

Jag came up next to her, reaching for his pilot bag as she picked up a towel. "Okay. Good workout. I better get showered."

Jag started to turn away when Jaina spoke. "Jag."

He stopped and faced her. "Yes?"

The fear for what she would say burned in his eyes. The tension between them had grown lately. It only happened when they were alone. Jaina felt wonderful, healthy and alive. Jag, while loving all the time, had exercised amazing restraint in some forms of expression as if a deeply-buried fear held him back from renewing their physical relationship. Jaina inhaled sharply and released her frustration. It would not do her any good to force him into something he was not ready for.

"So you won't be home tonight?"

His shoulders dropped in relief; it was subtle but noticeable. "No, Vanguards swapped patrols. We are pulling double duty. It is good to remind them of what the war was like every once in a while. You know, sleep deprivation, sitting in your cockpit for endless hours, boredom, and all that fun stuff."

Jaina raised her chin once in agreement. Jag closed the distance in two long strides and cupped her cheek. Without warning he captured her lips in a powerful kiss, Jaina's mouth opened in surprise. Jag entered her mouth with an eager abandon as he grasped the back of her neck, his thumb driving into the pulse of her neck. Jaina was sure her blood would burst forth as her heart raced in time with the driving demands of the kiss. Just as swiftly he released her from the bond and stepped back, tasting her flavor on his lips with his tongue.

He smiled warmly. "Give Keira a kiss for me."

"I will." Jaina was breathless.

Jag turned and strode out of the room. Jaina flopped on the mat and grinned. She knew now it would not be much longer before her husband forgot all about his fears and remembered only the passionate flame they could ignite.

* * *

Syal glanced at the chrono on the wall before placing the last baby bottle in the dishwasher. Drying her hands quickly, she scurried off to the main bedroom on the first floor of the townhome. Syal tapped on the shut door tentatively.

"Jaina, are you done nursing?"

A muffled response came through the door. "Sure, come in, Mom."

Syal eased the door open and tiptoed into the room when she failed to hear any baby sounds. "Is she asleep?"

Jaina came into view, walking from the comfortable chair in the corner to the crib. "Out like a light. I wish I could sleep like that."

Jaina eased Keira onto the crib's mattress, rubbing her tiny head once lightly. Both women smiled down at the sleeping baby for a quiet moment before Syal wrapped an arm around Jaina's waist. The two women walked away, arm in arm. Syal turned to Jaina once they were far enough to not disturb Keira.

"Jag should be home any minute now. Why don't you put on that pretty outfit we bought today?"

Jaina wiped a stray hair back. "I could do that. I am sure he would appreciate a pretty sight to come home to for once, especially since Vanguards had double-duty."

Syal pulled away from Jaina. "You're always beautiful, Jaina, but it's good to make the extra effort every once in the while. Call if you need any help."

Jaina picked up a shopping bag resting at the foot of the bed and headed for the refresher. Syal grinned to herself, pleased to have accomplished one goal, then skulked out of the bedroom. She barely made it two steps out the door when Jag rounded the corner. Syal shooed him away with a flap of her hands.

Once they were both in the front foyer, Jag addressed his mother in a hushed tone. "Is she ready?"

"Almost," Syal whispered back. "I got her a nice outfit at the store today and suggested she wear it for dinner."

"So she doesn't suspect anything?"

Syal shook her head side to side. "Not a thing. She really thinks you had a double patrol."

Jag grinned. "Perfect."

Noise from the direction of the bedroom caused the conniving pair to sprint for the living room where Soontir was parked in his usual reclining chair, sipping a glass of Whyren's Reserve. Syal and Jag plopped into their usual positions on the couch just as footsteps could be heard approaching. Jaina stopped, framed in the entrance to the living room, dressed in a casual deep purple sea cotton top tucked into a pair of ivory slacks.

"I didn't realize you two were home." She smiled at Jag. Her expression changed to confusion as Jag rose from his seat on the couch. She studied his attire suspiciously. Instead of the usual flightsuit, he wore a sharp white dress shirt and form-fitting navy pants.

Jag ignored her suspicious gaze as he crossed the room. "You look nice. Is that new?"

Jaina twirled for inspection. "It is. Your mother bought it for me today." Jag stopped before his wife; she stared up at him, an eyebrow arched suspiciously. "What are you up to, Jag?"

He pecked a kiss on her nose. "It is a surprise. Is the princess all settled for the evening?"

"Yes, I just fed her and put her down."

"Good then she won't be jealous when I pay attention to her Mom all night. Put your coat on; I will be right back. I am going to say goodnight to Keira before we leave."

Jaina stared at Jag like he had lost his mind. He grabbed her shoulders and nudged her toward the coat closet as he trotted past, heading for the bedroom. As Jaina pulled out her coat, Syal slipped over from living room. Soontir feigned disinterest in the whole affair. As Jaina donned her coat, Syal slipped a small wrapped box in the outer pocket.

"You will need that for later." Syal fussed with the collar of Jaina's coat and fingered a strand of hair until Jag reappeared with a black pilot's bag in his hand and a parka draped over his arm. "Have fun."

Jaina eyed Jag. "Where are we going?"

Jag kept a stoic face. "I said it is a surprise."

Jaina refused to budge as her husband tried to turn her toward the door. "Well, how long will we be gone?"

Jag tugged her elbow so Jaina had to face the front door. "We will be back before Keira needs to be fed."

"That's not until early tomorrow morning. I'm sure Mom doesn't want to be stuck with her all night…"

"You ask too many questions." Jag spun Jaina to face him. He stared into her eyes. "When have I ever done anything without covering every detail?"

"Well, never."

"Can you trust me then?"

Jaina glanced at Syal, who winked at her, then back to Jag. Soontir's voice boomed from the living room. "Get out of here, young lady. Keira will be fine. She's got Grandpa Fel in charge. Why do women have to make everything more trouble than it is?"

Jag grinned. "See?"

Jaina nodded her head once. Jag began to usher her out the front door as it opened to allow in the cold night air. "Jag, aren't you forgetting something?" Soontir called after them.

"Oh, yeah." Now on the front steps, Jag spun Jaina around so she was facing away from him. He fished a black scarf out of his pocket and wrapped it around Jaina's eyes. She brought her hands up, trying to remove the obstacle. Jag stopped her with a touch. "Trust me."

Jaina dropped her hands to her side and waited for him to tie the scarf in a knot behind her head. "Okay, but I think you have gone quite mad."

Jag grabbed Jaina's elbow. "No, Jedi cheating. Promise."

Jaina, thoroughly intrigued, laughed. "Promise."

Jag flashed a smile to both his mother and father, who were standing in the open door, before leading Jaina down to the waiting speeder. As the aging couple withdrew into the warmth of the house, Soontir enveloped Syal in his arms. "So this is it?"

Syal did not answer, merely nodded against the strength of her husband's chest.

* * *

The steady tug of Jag's hand was the only thing guiding Jaina through the darkness. For a moment, Jaina pondered that this black world would be all Keira could ever know. The thought caused her feet to falter. Jag's hand squeezed tighter around her fingers.

"Almost there."

A couple of steps later, Jag released her hand and gripped her shoulders. Jaina turned around one-hundred-eighty degrees at his urging. Once she was firmly in place, Jag pulled off the blindfold. Jaina blinked against the bright light several times until her eyes adjusted to the intensity. Jag's brilliant green eyes were sparkling with a hidden agenda waiting to unfold. She started to turn her head and take in the sights when Jag stayed her with a hand on her chin.

"Wait, not yet."

Jaina furrowed her brows in a quizzical expression. "Jag, what is all this?"

Stuffing his left hand in the pocket of his parka, Jag picked up her left hand with his right hand. He fingered the orichale engagement ring bejeweled with emeraudes, amethyst power crystals, and ice-jewels. "Do you know what today is?"

Jaina grinned. "It's our anniversary, silly. I thought we weren't going to celebrate it until your two days off and just have a nice dinner with the family tonight."

"Oh yeah. I forgot about that."

"No, you didn't."

"Okay, so you caught me. I had to throw you off; you Jedi are a hard bunch to fool." Jag raised their joined hands, separating out her ring finger. "I wanted to give you something special, something that showed you how much I love you…"

Jaina squeezed his hand. "I already know how much you love me. I feel it in my heart."

"Well, it is not enough sometimes. I guess what I am trying to say is I want other people to know how much I love you." Jag brought his left hand up, nestled between his index finger and thumb was a dazzling ring with the distinct coloring of orichale stringed with ice-jewels along the entire circumference. He held it over the tip of Jaina's ring finger.

"Time and circumstance prevented us from having a normal wedding, or normal honeymoon, or normal first year of wedded bliss, but I wouldn't trade it for the galaxy if I had to give up you or Keira. I am the happiest man alive; you fill my life with joy until I think I might burst wide-open. Jaina, with this ring, I declare my love for you and claim you as mine for as long as I may live."

Jag slipped the ring over her finger until it rested perfectly against her engagement ring, like it was designed to be there. Jaina's shoulders heaved with a sigh packed full of barely contained emotion, emotion as strong as when they had exchanged their wedding vows. Her eyes went from her finger to Jag's face. Instead of speaking, she brought both hands to his cheeks, cupping them tenderly, then tasted his lips in a sweet kiss.

Before Jag could enjoy the kiss Jaina jumped back. "Oh, I nearly forgot." She fumbled around in her coat pocket. "Your mom knew about this I presume because she sent me prepared. I was saving this for our private celebration, and I guess this is it." Jaina retrieved the package Syal had dropped in her pocket. "I didn't realize what it was until just now."

Jaina shoved the tiny box into her husband's hand. "I was saving that for this weekend. Your partner in crime must have wrapped it."

Jag worked at stripping the colorful wrapping off the package, then pulled back the tiny lid. A simple platinum band rested in the tissue paper. Jaina plucked it out with her tiny fingers. She held it sideways, giving Jag a closer look.

"There's an inscription, see."

Jag guided her hand closer. "To Jag – my hero." He glanced past the ring at Jaina and smiled. "It's perfect."

Jaina took Jag's left hand and draped it over her right hand. She eased the ring over his bare ring finger. "Jag, you are my hero. You are strong and confident. You are my rock when everything around me crumbles. I don't know what I would do without you in my life. There will never be anyone who can take your place in my heart. I will love you until the end of time."

The couple stood silently eyeing the two rings, distinct in their own way, but wrought by the same love. Jag's ring was simple in design; a reflection of the man he was, devoid of trappings and flash. With Jag what you saw was what you got, and Jaina understood that better than anyone. Jaina's ring on the other hand sparkled, trying to outshine its owner. Jag had tried to pick out a piece that could compete with the brilliance of Jaina's very being.

For an instant Jaina saw herself as Jag did, and she laughed. "I was thinking simple is better, and then you go and do this." She wiggled her fingers so the gems flashed in the light. "You put me to shame, Jag."

He wrapped his fingers around Jaina's fingers. "Oh, no. My ring is perfect."

Jaina stared up at her husband. "No, my ring is perfect, but I have a question."

"Yes?"

"We haven't really discussed finances. I mean you're a pilot, and I'm a pilot. We haven't really had to worry about that kind of stuff." She blushed. "Well, I mean we have had other things to worry about…"

Jag grinned. "You want to know how I could afford a ring like this?"

Jaina nodded. "I don't want you breaking your bank over a ring for me. We have our family to consider."

Jag brushed the back of his hand along her cheek. "That is very thoughtful, but I did not break the bank for your ring. And if I did, it would be worth it."

Jaina's jaw flopped open. "But a ring like this…" She sputtered. "Well, it would cost, I don't know…a lot!"

"Yes."

"Are you rich or something, Jagged Fel?"

He chuckled. "After today, not as rich as I was."

"What does that mean? And how are you so well off? Have you been hiding something from me?"

Jag's eyes sparkled mischievously. "So many questions. First of all, my mother is a holodrama star of unimaginable proportions. She gave each of her children a trust. That alone will ensure we never want for much. Second of all, my father is a Corellian Baron, who invested his money wisely before fleeing to the Unknown Regions. He keeps rifling money into accounts for all my siblings. Now, I am under the impression that all his discretionary funds are going to Keira. She is already a very wealthy little girl. Did I get everything?"

Jaina arched an eyebrow. "Well, I never knew."

"I never tried to hide this; it just never came up." An abashed look washed across his face and a hint of color tainted his cheeks. "Well, that is not entirely true. I have purposely avoided the subject until today. If you had seen my records, it would have become impossible to keep my secret."

"So what did you mean by after today, not as rich as I was?"

Jag widened his eyes in feigned deference. "Ah, that." He grabbed her shoulders and spun Jaina around so she was facing away from him. "Happy Anniversary, sweetheart."

For the first time, Jaina realized they were standing in a large hangar. Before them, taking up a sizeable portion of the space was a spaceship like Jaina had never seen before. It was a reflective silver color from top to bottom that shone like a mirror. The design was simple, but elegant, sleek lines promising speed and stealth, spreading out like the wings of a bird of prey in flight. It was the most beautiful ship Jaina had ever seen.

After a solid minute of stunned silence, Jag squeezed her shoulder gently. "Well?"

Jaina glanced over her shoulder. "Is that…I mean do we…"

"It is all yours."

Jaina looked back to the ship, then walked toward it, her gaze going up as she passed underneath. She inspected every inch in silent wonder with Jag following behind. Sometimes she would stop and stare at a component or finger it reverently, but Jaina never uttered a sound. Finally, she turned and faced her husband.

"Wa…Wa…"

Jag laughed a full belly laugh. "My wife of a year is finally speechless." He pumped a triumphant fist in the air and spoke to the rafters. "Yes." Then he grabbed her hand. "Come on."

Jaina followed behind willingly as Jag proceeded to drag her to the aft section of the ship. Once there he issued a command. "Lower ramp. Voice acknowledgement – Fel-two-seven-Cherith-two-seven."

A split in the skin opened at an apparently seamless point, growing wider until a ramp lowered to the ground under the belly of the ship. Jag escorted Jaina inside. He continued forward until they reached the cockpit. Spinning the pilot seat around, he guided Jaina into it, then sat in the co-pilot seat next to her. Jag addressed his awestruck wife.

"When I was on Naboo, I did some research on their spacecraft. Did you know the Nubian ship builders were highly regarded for their designs?" Jaina shook her head side to side. "I copied some plans to my datapad. While I was back on Csilla to train the Vanguards on the new cloaked fighters I left the plans with the ship builder who constructed by father's spaceyacht. I requested he analyze some modifications for future use."

Jag opened his hands, palms up. "The result of which you see here before you."

Jaina strolled her fingers across the pilot's controls, taking it all in, then looked back to Jag. "This is so wonderful, but…" Jag flipped a finger over her lips, and she grinned. "I know, no buts," she muttered under his finger.

"Exactly. You see I had planned for us to work on this together. I hoped to design our dream ship together. However, by the time I got back to Mon Cal you were pregnant and sick; the dream went on hold. Then one day when we came to Csilla, the ship builder contacted me. You were so sick, and I needed something that showed my refusal to accept anything less than you and Keira making it. That day you almost died, I had gone into town to meet with him. We finalized the plans right there, and I told him to build it."

Jaina reached for Jag's hand, weaving her fingers into his. "So now we have our ship of dreams."

Jag chuckled. "Technically, it is yours, every inch."

"Technically, it is ours."

Jag dipped his head as they locked gazes for several heartbeats. Finally, he inhaled sharply. "So do you want the tour, or do you want to fly her first?"

Jaina released Jag's hand and spun her pilot seat so she was staring out of the transparisteel cockpit. She spied Jag out of the corner of her eye, sensing a building excitement rolling off him. "Why fly, of course." She fondled the pilot's yoke seductively with her index finger.

"I figured." Jag started flipping switches deftly, the ship hummed to life as lights and controls ignited and beeped as they were called into service. "If it is okay, I will take her out of the atmosphere. It can be a bit tricky, especially dealing with Csilla Control, and then I will let you take over."

Jaina shrugged her shoulders in deference. "Sounds like a plan."

She started to rise from the pilot's seat, when Jag stopped her with a hand. "I can fly her from here."

Jaina sat back in her seat and began to figure out the belts. It was then that she realized that the pilot's seat was specially fitted for her, as were the console components and foot controls. No detail had been overlooked. Jag had truly meant it when he had said it was her ship. Jaina slipped on the headset, listening to Jag talk in a metered clip to a controller, while the hangar doors opened to reveal the blackest of nights highlighted by the brightest of stars.

The ship effortlessly rose on repulsors without so much as a shudder and drifted out of the hangar. As if to highlight the craft's abilities, Jag maneuvered the yoke and foot pedals, pointing the ship to the heavens, then urged the throttle forward. The buffeting of the wind and atmospheric anomalies were noticeable but not jarring as the ship accelerated through the night sky. Before she knew it, they were free of the atmosphere and for the first time since coming to Csilla, soaring through the freedom of space.

Jag yanked off his headset and set it on the console. "Okay, we are in orbit. Do you want to take over?" A proud aura permeated from his being, evident in the subtle upturn of the corner of his mouth.

Jaina unfastened her restraints. "I think I want a tour, first." As Jag released his own belts, she studied him. "So you have already tested her out I see."

Jag nodded. "Yesterday, when I picked her up."

A twinkle sparkled in Jaina's eye. "Oh, so the double duty wasn't so double."

"Not really. Vanguards went with me to the shipyard over Rhigar, then Hiza and I piloted her back to Csilla."

Jaina arched an eyebrow. "So is your clawcraft still at Rhigar?"

"We stored them in the hold."

Jaina's voice did not disguise her surprise. "Both?"

"Sure, this ship is deceptive in size. Her bay will hold one X-wing and a clawcraft easily."

Jaina jumped out of her seat. "This I have got to see."

Jag rose, then placed one hand tenderly on either side of her waist. He gently guided her out of the cockpit. Jaina did not fail to notice that his hands stayed there along the entire length of the corridor until he dropped one hand around to her stomach. He turned her so she was looking in a room. Jaina paused, staring into the darkness. Jag moved so he was flush against her. A silent moment passed, then he leaned forward, his breath whisking past her ear, as he reached for the illumination controls. The lights brightened to reveal an ample galley with a seating area.

Jag held his body close, his head a little lower than it needed to be as he spoke. "The kitchen is equipped with a fully functional oven, dishwasher, and food cooler capable of holding a week's supply of food, plus additional food storage in the hold."

Jaina tipped her head so she was looking up at him, her head angled to show the white stretch of her neckline and jaw. "Impressive."

Jag froze for a moment before dragging his palm along her stomach, his fingers tracing a tantalizing trail. He grasped her hand and led her down the hall further. He entered the next room, raised the illumination, and then steered Jaina so she was standing in front of him. He had to release her hand to do so, but that allowed his hands to be free to roam along her arms.

"This is the spare bedroom."

Jaina tried to ignore Jag's fingers as they traced over her shoulder and moved toward her neck. Finding she was becoming distracted, Jaina examined the room quickly. There were two sets of bunks, adequate for sleeping human adults, plus two closets and two sets of drawers and a tiny refresher.

"Looks like you plan on having lots of guests."

Jag leaned over to speak to her, his warm breath tickling her earlobe as a finger trailed up her neck on the same side. "No, lots of kids." His voice was husky and soft.

As Jaina began to lean into the solid strength of his torso, Jag drifted away. Jaina's body followed willingly until they were both in the hall. A hand on her ribs pivoted Jaina around until she was facing Jag. The same hand traveled up, teasing the sensitive ridges of her ribs, brushing past her breast, then tilting her chin.

Jag bent over as if to kiss her, but bypassed her lips. His cheek skimmed her cheek, and he whispered in her ear. "One more room."

Jag stepped backward, the magnetic pull of his body drawing Jaina with him. As they moved in unison, Jaina felt the tug on her shirt as it escaped her pants. The tingling of her skin called attention to his strong calloused hand brushing along the bare skin of her waist, continuing around until his fingers were splayed firmly across her back and pulling their bodies closer still.

Jaina felt the firm length of Jag pressed to her from top to bottom. She was breathless from the power he had over her as their bodies breathed in together, forcing their bodies to deepen the contact further. Jag's green eyes danced in an excited frenzy as Jaina began to drown in them.

Suddenly, Jaina was weightless, her body encompassed in a pair of strong arms carrying her down the last steps of the hall. At the same time, Jag's mouth claimed her lips, promising of a union their bodies could not deny. Jaina's palm skimmed along his cheek, her thumb tracing his bold jaw line. She never felt her feet bounce off the doorframe, so consumed she was by the ravaging of his lips and tongue.

Together they fell, crashing into the plush mattress of a large bed centered in the last room, Jag's body covering Jaina in its entirety. The reckless abandon of their trek resulted in both sets of teeth bouncing off one another. At the resulting jolt of pain, Jag jerked up on his hands, his torso still weighing along Jaina from hip down until where her legs fell over the bed and into a tangle with Jag's longer limbs.

"I am sorry."

Jag's green eyes deepened with concern, and Jaina felt him withdrawing behind the shroud masking his eyes, the familiar barriers and fears dampening the flame of passion like a cold snowstorm. Undaunted, she licked her lips as she studied her fingers, which easily unbound one button and then another on his shirt.

"I'm fine. Nothing like some teeth rattling to get the blood flowing."

Her grin was coy as her hand slid in through the opening of his shirt. Jaina's fingers trekked across the smooth contours of Jag's pectoral muscle, causing it to tighten. Jag stiffened and began to pull away until Jaina's hand jumped out of his shirt and gripped the back of his neck. She tore her stare from the captivating sight of his powerful chest and locked eyes with Jag.

"Don't," she whispered. "Don't leave me."

Jag's eyes told of a tremendous battle being fought just below the surface, his need weighing against unfounded but natural concerns. "I am afraid I will hurt you."

Jaina dropped her hand away so it fell by her head. She did not demand anything, just waited a moment before speaking. "The only way you would ever hurt me is if you left this aching in me denied."

A light rekindled in Jag's eyes. "Are you sure?"

Jaina climbed up on her elbows so her face was a breath away from his. "If you don't help me christen this ship properly, Jagged Fel, there will be parts of you hurting in ways you never imagined."

Jag needed no further prodding. The thrust of his kiss stole Jaina's breath away, as their bodies renewed an age old dance neither one of them had forgotten the steps to.


	3. Welcome Home

**CHAPTER 2**

Jaina's head fell softly against Jag's bare chest, her cheek nestling against the firm contours. The slick feel of his skin did not bother her as she was equally sticky from their passionate exchange. One finger lazily traced the center dip of his sternum then down along the solid undulations of his stomach.

Jag's arms wrapped around Jaina, pulling her closer through the tangle of sheets and body parts. He placed a tender kiss on the top of her head as she tightened the muscles in her leg wrapped around his torso, in effect pressing their bodies closer still. Jag flopped his head back into the pillows in an act expressing his utter exhaustion.

Easing her head off its resting place, Jaina fingered her brown locks aside so she could smile down at Jag. "Much better."

Jag managed a faint smile before rolling his cheek over onto the pillow and feigning to fall asleep. "I think I shall die a happy man. You have worked this body beyond its limitations you sex-starved fiend."

Jaina placed her chin on the back of her hand, which she had rest on Jag's chest, so she was now staring up at him. "I could say the same."

Jag laughed, the sound resonating through his chest. "Liar, you have tons of energy left." He twisted his head back, then brushed her moist bangs away to get a better look at her eyes. Jaina squinted as if she was deliberating a serious thought. "A credit for your thoughts."

Jaina's eyes focused on his. The joviality of her features began smoothing away, but her eyes still sparkled. "I thought you didn't have any credits left."

As if sensing an important discussion coming, Jag tugged a pillow free from his head and placed it next to him. Jaina accepted the invitation and climbed up the bed so they were both resting with their heads on adjacent pillows staring into each other's eyes. Jaina fingered Jag's hand where it rested between the pillows.

Jag reassured his wife. "There are definitely a few credits left."

Jaina inhaled deeply. "Jag, this is all incredible and a bit overwhelming. I mean, my own ship and you being rich and all."

He corrected her. "We are rich."

"Yeah, that too, but that doesn't really matter as long as we are happy."

"I could not have said it better." His eyes danced back and forth, trying to read something in Jaina's face. "So what is the matter?"

"I want to go home." The words tumbled out before Jaina realized what was truly bothering her. Instinctively she reached for his cheek with her smooth palm. "Not that I don't consider this home, It's just that..."

Jag touched her hand on his cheek. "You want to see your family. I know. Why do you think I gave you this ship? I knew what you were thinking when you really tried to beat me the other day at the estate. I did not have a doubt when you finished me off in our sparring match. I have been ready for a while; I was waiting for you to come to the same conclusion."

Jaina propped her head up on her hand. "But I always thought you would be reluctant to leave, and then there is Zekk and countless other dangers."

Jag stared up at her. "We can't hide here forever. There are dangers everywhere. I will always consider Csilla my first home, but I helped fight to bring peace to the galaxy. We fought for the Galactic Alliance. That is our home now. Besides, I have a lot of showing-off to do with that baby girl of ours."

Jaina giggled. "You sound like you made that baby all on your own." She rolled her eyes in mockery. "What is it with men and their desire to prove they can reproduce?"

Jag's arms wrapped around Jaina, and he found herself spinning until she was nestled against his body. He nuzzled the back of her neck. "The more babies we make, the more of a man we are. I must have more."

Jaina wrapped her arms around his which were encompassing her torso possessively. "How about we defer on that until I truly forget the wonders of childbirth?'

"All right, but let me know when you are ready."

"For a man who was concerned about making love to his wife for the first time since having a baby, you have done a remarkable turn-around."

Jag nipped her ear. "Well, you proved my fears unfounded. As a matter of fact, you seemed to have come through with flying colors." He splayed his hand across her abdomen. "You can hardly tell that a baby was ever in there."

Jaina snorted. "One million crunches later!"

"No one will believe you had Keira when they see you. Other than a few more curves you are still as tiny as ever and more beautiful besides."

Jaina rolled in Jag's arms so she could see his eyes again. "When can we go home? I mean how long will it take you to get leave?" She blew her bangs off her brow lazily. "There is so much to discuss."

Jag grinned. "We could leave tomorrow I suppose, but it might be a little crazy packing that quickly."

"But what about you position in Vanguard Squadron? You can't just up and leave."

"I can if I am no longer part of it."

Jaina's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

"As of this morning I am on inactive reserves for the CEDF - permanently." He brushed the back of his knuckles along the ridge of Jaina's cheek. "Jaina, I want to make a new life for us; I want to go back to Naboo and join Starfighter Command. I want you to be able to do whatever you want to do, whether it is Jedi business or by my side flying. Most importantly, I want for you to be happy."

A tear slipped out of the corner of Jaina's eye. "But you are giving up so much. You should have discussed this with me first."

Jag caught the tear with his finger. "What is there to discuss? It's what we both want. And what am I really giving up? Nothing you have not lost already - a home planet. We start even. All I want to do is fly and protect others. I can do that anywhere. We can build a new home on Naboo while we build a family."

Tears were rushing out unhindered. "What about your Mom and Dad and Briaun? I love them all so much."

Jag pulled Jaina to him so her face was buried in his chest. She sensed the small feeling of regret in his words as she snaked her arms around his torso. "We can visit; they can visit. I don't want to give up Csilla completely. I just don't want to live here. Besides, the warm weather of Naboo looks so much more appealing after the winter we are having."

Jaina lifted her head out of his chest and sniffled. "Jag."

"Yes."

"I love you so much."

He smiled. "I know."

* * *

Jag guided the speeder to a stop in front of their townhome and quickly powered it down. He stretched his arm across the space between the two front seats and cupped Jaina's cheek. Her head rested over to one side, her lips slightly parted in slumber. The excitement of the evening coupled with the sleepless nights that were a part of having a newborn had overtaken her body.

After a moment her eyes fluttered open. To Jag, this was always a wonderful act, calling to mind the time she had come back to life. Her eyes sparkled as she blinked slowly, her mind waking from its blissful peace.

"We're home."

Jaina's voice cracked as she straightened in her seat. "What time is it?"

Jag undid his restraints. "A little before five."

Jaina seemed to spring to life, unbuckling herself and reaching for the door release. "Keira's going to be waking up any minute."

Jaina was out the door before Jag could respond. He lifted the driver's door and climbed out as Jaina rounded the speeder. He caught her as she bounded up the steps and clamped his arms around her tiny torso hidden under the folds of her coat. Jag leaned over and whispered in her ear.

"One last kiss?"

Jaina spun in his arms, beaming up at him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into him seductively before arching her neck and parting her lips. Jag stared down at Jaina's bewitching face, her eyes closed in anticipation. He soaked in the sight, unable to make a move. Finally, one of her eyes popped open.

"Any day now, Mister Fel."

"Oh yeah."

He grinned mischievously then closed the space between them, departing a teasing kiss. She opened her mouth waiting for him, but Jag only tempted Jaina, his tongue dancing just out of reach until she took control. Then the kiss became a duel for power, lips tasting, tongues exploring, mouths sucking. It ended abruptly as Jaina pulled away first.

"If I don't stop now, we'll be heading back for the ship."

Jaina spun in his arms and climbed the last few steps to the front door. Jag wiped the corner of his mouth, then followed. The door slid opened and Jaina, followed by Jag, snuck into the foyer. A deep voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Did you two have a good evening?"

Jag turned his gaze, as did Jaina, to find his father propped back in the recliner, a cup of caf steaming in his hand. "Yes, we did."

Soontir eased the chair upright, taking care not to spill his drink. "Good, you can tell us over breakfast."

Jaina slipped out of her coat. "Is Mom up?"

"She is asleep in your bedroom. I couldn't get her to leave that poor child alone."

Jag took Jaina's coat before she tiptoed down the hall. He hung it on the closet, then proceeded to remove his own parka. "She wasn't a bother was she?"

Soontir shook his head. "No, she slept the whole time. So did it go well?"

Jag puffed his chest with pride. "Jaina loved the ship. I am sure you will hear all about it over breakfast."

"And did you two come to a decision?"

Jag's tone was decidedly more serious as he replied. "Yes, it is time."

Soontir rose from his chair and crossed to his son. He draped a hand on Jag's shoulder. "Then we surely have lots to discuss this morning. Your mother and I want to talk to both of you about something as well."

Jag arched an eyebrow curiously. "Yes?"

Soontir squeezed Jag's shoulder. "Let's wait until your mother is up." He shoved his son toward the bedroom. "Go see your daughter. There will be plenty of time for planning and talking after you spoil her rotten."

Jag obeyed his father's command willingly and quietly walked around the corner to the bedroom. Jaina was framed in the doorway, standing very still. He crept up behind her to look over her shoulder.

Lying on the foot of the bed draped in a blanket obviously added after she had fallen asleep, Syal slept soundly with her hand resting on the crib. Jag put a hand on Jaina's shoulder, which she grasped in return.

"Aren't they adorable," she whispered over her shoulder.

Jag was about to answer when a meek mewing sound filtered across the room. Syal picked her head up as quickly as if someone had sounded an alarm in the room. The aging actress reached into the crib and comforted her waking granddaughter.

"Good morning, my precious princess."

The cries grew between gulps of air. Jaina tiptoed across the room as Syal sat up on the bed. Syal caught sight of Jaina and smiled. "Good morning."

"Good morning. Did you get any sleep?" Jaina stooped over and scooped Keira into her arms.

"Oh, plenty. I just can't bear to let her alone. I had five children and with each one of them, I used to panic when they slept. If I am close by I can put a hand out and check that are breathing quickly. It's just a silly fear I never outgrew."

Jaina bobbed Keira against her chest. "I know what you mean."

"Except she cheats." Jag had come up behind and leaned over to check on Keira. "Jaina just touches her in the Force, and don't even try to deny it."

Keira may have been blind, but she already recognized both her parents readily. She picked her head up from Jaina's chest and turned toward the sound of Jag's voice. Both women smiled, but Syal chose to remark on it.

"I see we have a Daddy's girl."

Jag put his finger out and Keira wrapped her fingers around it, gripping fiercely. "She just missed me. Didn't you, Keira princess?" Jag affected a sweet tone when addressing his daughter.

Syal slipped off the bed. "I will let you two have some time with your daughter." She stopped by Jaina. "Did you have a good time?"

Jaina practically beamed. "Oh yes. Thank you for packing Jag's ring. It was all perfect."

"It was not a problem. I was so excited about it all, I thought I would give it away all day."

Jaina giggled. "You covered it well, Mom. Maybe you can go back to acting."

Syal winked. "Maybe."

* * *

Jaina was the last one to make it into the dining area adjacent to the kitchen for the family breakfast. Keira, now content with a full belly, was draped over her shoulder, drooling merrily into her sea cotton blouse. Jaina crossed the kitchen and reached for a clean dishtowel, which she placed between Keira's lips and her shirt.

Turning toward the table, Jaina practically ran into Briaun, who was hurrying by with a plate full of scrambled Ruffan eggs. "Hey Briaun, I thought you were spending the night at Narwan's?"

Briaun stopped to peck a kiss on Jaina's cheek, then Keira's head. "I did. Mom and Dad said I needed to be home in time for breakfast. I guess there is big news." The teenager winked before heading to the table.

Jaina eyed Syal as she flipped the muffin pan and dropped a dozen Corellian breakfast puffs onto a plate. Jag's mother ignored her stare. Jaina turned to inspect Soontir, but he too was blatantly ignoring her, engrossed in his study of a datapad.

Two hands wrapped around Keira and scooped her from Jaina's shoulder. "Hello, Daddy's beautiful girl. Shall we share an evasive maneuver until you spit up all over me?"

Jaina traded the dishtowel to Jag's shoulder. "She burped once already. Miss Keira couldn't wait for your magic touch, but I do sense another one building."

Jag grinned before bouncing across the kitchen area, one hand rubbing Keira's back. Moments later, a tiny belch broke. Everyone in the room laughed. Syal brought the plate of puffs to the table, ushering Jaina over with her free arm.

"Come on. Let's eat."

Everyone took a seat around the small table, with Soontir at the head and Syal to his right. Briaun sat next to her mother. Jaina dropped into her customary end seat with Jag to her right. He gently guided Keira into the highchair and fastened the lap strap before glancing over at Jaina.

"Go ahead and eat. Keira and I will share some cereal."

Jaina smiled gratefully. Meals had become a strange balancing act with either Jag or herself eating separate from the others while one of them entertained Keira. Now that she was beginning to eat solid food, dinner time was even more of an adventure.

Soontir took a helping of eggs and passed them to Syal. "So, tell us about your evening."

Jaina sipped her caf, hoping to dispel the nagging urge to sleep after a night spent awake. "Oh, we had a marvelous time." Jaina held out her left hand. "Jag gave me this…" Everyone _oohed_ appropriately. "…and something else."

Briaun bounced excitedly in place while Soontir and Syal grinned knowingly. Soontir posed a question. "So is it as amazing as Jag bragged about?"

Briaun interrupted. "What, what did Jag give you?"

Jaina laughed. "My very own spaceship."

"Blaster bolts! Are you serious? When do we get to see it? What's it…"

Syal touched her daughter on the shoulder. "One question at a time, young lady."

Briaun nodded in understanding then turned back to Jaina. "So?"

"Let's see." Jaina winked at Jag as he scooped a spoonful of cereal into Keira's open mouth, a small portion dribbled down her chin as she chomped the mush with her gums. "It's beautiful and fast and armed to the teeth. Jag did an amazing job designing it."

"When can we take it up?" Briaun bristled with barely contained excitement.

"Well I suppose we better soon." Jaina eyed Jag, who nodded, then looked to Syal and Soontir at the end of the table. "Jag and I have made a decision."

Syal turned the corner of her mouth up in assort of reassuring smile. "Tell us, dear."

Jaina inhaled sharply and felt Jag's reassuring hand grip hers under the table. "We have decided it's time to go back to Naboo. I feel almost one-hundred percent, and it's time to get on with our lives."

Soontir replied. "Your family will be so happy. Do you have a time frame in mind?"

Jag responded. "The last letter Jaina got from home said the dedication of the new Jedi Praxeum is next week. We would like to be there for the ceremony."

Soontir was business as usual as he questioned Jag further. "Do you need to get a message out to Naboo before you leave? I will have to make some arrangements to make that happen."

Jaina, still amazed at the calm reception to the news by both parents, answered. "No, I want to surprise everyone."

Syal chuckled. "Oh dear, you are going to give your poor mother a fright, but she will be so happy to have her family whole again."

Jaina took the opportunity to address an issue she felt needed to be discussed. "Although I am so excited to be going home, I don't want any of you to believe that your family doesn't mean as much to me. What I am trying to say is that I love you Syal and Soontir and Briaun so very much and I can't believe how amazing my time on Csilla has been. I just need to live my life." Jaina glanced at Jag. "We need to live our lives."

Briaun who had absorbed the news in stunned silence began to sniffle as a tear trailed down her cheek. The sight broke Jaina's heart. Jag's sister had become very special to her. She reached across the corner of the table and gripped Briaun's hand.

Briaun stammered. "I-I-I'm going to miss you."

Jaina squeezed Briaun's fingers. "I know, but we can visit. Jag and I plan on coming back from time to time, and I am sure your Mom and Dad will want to see Keira."

Briaun looked to her father as tears welled on her lower lids. He smiled warmly. "You can visit everyday if you like."

Briaun's mouth dropped open. "Not if they are on Naboo, and we are here."

Soontir's good eye sparkled mischievously. "What if I told you that your mother and I decided to move to Naboo? Would you want to go?"

Jaina eyed her father-in-law in wonder. Everyone knew that all Briaun ever talked about was moving to the Known Regions and flying for the Galactic Alliance. Briaun was out of her chair and bounding around the table, ending in her father's embrace. Jaina watched with tear-filled eyes as she felt the excitement pouring out of everyone in the room, especially her husband. Jag had willingly agreed to leave his family and the only home he had ever known to start a new life. Soontir's announcement changed all that.

Jaina swatted away a tear as Syal rose from her seat and joined her husband and daughter in a hug. As Briaun jumped to her mother's arms, a weak cry interrupted the joyous moment. Jaina turned to see her husband removing Keira from the high chair, his green eyes misty. As he folded Keira in his arms, Jaina reached across and patted her daughter's fuzzy black head, sharing a smile with her husband.

Jag turned to his father. "Are you sure about this?"

Syal responded, emotion tainting her voice. "Positive. Your father and I have discussed this at great length. There is an opportunity for 'Tir to participate in the integration of the Chiss into the Galactic Alliance. It's a perfect opportunity for us to venture out as well. By the looks of things, all our children will be planting new roots, and although we love it here, we don't want to miss those important times."

Jaina jumped out of her seat and rounded the table. She kissed Syal on the cheek and hugged her, then did the same for Briaun. When she reached for Soontir his massive arms pulled her down to his lap, and Jaina thought she would loose her breath in his embrace. From his lap she laughed up at him as Briaun plopped down on top of them both.

"This is the best news ever." Jaina grinned across the table to Jag. By the feeling in his heart, Jaina knew Jag agreed.

* * *

Pivoting the co-pilot's chair, Jag checked the timer on the hyperdrive. Less than five minutes remained until his family emerged just beyond Naboo's gravity well and announced their return to Galactic Alliance space. At the same time, Jag was excited about returning and nervous. Jaina was eager to see her family, and Jag was equally thrilled to show off Keira, but a myriad of obstacles threatened to overwhelm his happiness.

First was the uncertainty of how he would fit into the Galactic Alliance. During the war he had been a member of the Chiss military and bound by their rules and principles. Now Jag would be seeking a role in the Galactic Alliance military, a foreign, dare he say, alien organization. He could only wonder how he would be received officially.

Also, there was the concern for his family's safety that hung like a black cloud over his happiness. Zekk had been lost after Jacen and Kyp's mission failed when Keira was born. The Dark Jedi had not reappeared since then, but Jag knew the possibility loomed for Zekk to stamp out the rapture enveloping his life. Other unknown threats were just as terrifying, rogue Yuuzhan Vong or ex-Peace Brigaders bent on revenge. Jag accepted the uncertain would probably always be a part of his life, but he would be on-guard, wary of it sneaking up on the ones he loved.

"Are you worried?"

Jag glanced up at his mother who was taking a seat in the pilot's chair. He forced a casual air to his features. "Just thinking." Syal frowned disbelievingly at her son, then arched a questioning eyebrow. The fact that he was so transparent to his mother caused Jag to curl the corner of his mouth up ruefully. "All right. So you caught me."

Syal patted his leg. "I am sure everything will be fine. We are going to a planet full of Jedi and fighter pilots. Someone would have to be crazy or demented to try anything."

"The trouble is you are describing Zekk to a tee."

Syal pondered his words for a moment. "Well, your secret is safe with me. Jaina is so excited. I won't let on that you are anxious about this."

"Thanks, Mom. The trouble with that is Jaina is as stressed about it as I am. Her excitement just clouds the fact."

"Well, don't let it ruin your life."

Jag inhaled sharply as he pivoted the seat so he was facing out into the swirling view of hyperspace. "I don't plan on letting anything stand in the way of our happiness, not ever. If I did, then he would win without even trying."

"Who would win?"

Jag looked over his shoulder and found Jaina standing in the portal to the cockpit. Her brown eyes were sparkling with anticipation, and her face was aglow. Jag absorbed the radiant aura surrounding her and breathed it in like the air after a spring rain. Her happiness combined with the pretty package of her hair cascading over her shoulders in loose curls and the handsome ecru and dark green pantsuit made Jaina a vision he planned to store away for future reference.

"You look nice."

Jaina eyed her husband for a heartbeat but did not comment on his brush-off of her question. "Thanks. How close are we to Naboo?"

"Two minutes."

Jaina addressed Syal. "Keira is all fed and snuggled in her safety seat. Why don't you go strap in with her? Just in case."

Syal nodded, then rose. As they traded places, the older woman placed a hand on her daughter-in-law's shoulder. Jaina glanced up at Syal; and the two women smiled in unison. Jaina spoke first.

"I am glad you came with us. You have been such a big help with Keira on the ship. I am sorry Soontir and Briaun will miss our initial arrival."

Syal cupped Jaina's cheek. "You are welcome. You know Keira is never a bother. Soontir did not want you to possibly miss the ceremony. As soon as Briaun has packed her dorm room they will be along."

Jag interjected. "Which for my usually unmotivated sister should only take thirty minutes."

They all laughed before Syal continued. "Really Soontir had ulterior motives."

Jaina arched her eyebrow curiously. "Such as?"

"Poor Briaun is feeling a little slighted with all the attention thrown at your little angel, so he felt a trip alone would remind Briaun that she really is his little girl."

Jaina's features blanched momentarily. "I didn't realize."

Syal squeezed Jaina's shoulder. "Don't concern yourself with it. Briaun isn't really the jealous type; we just want her to know she is as loved as always." Jaina tipped her head in understanding, and at the same time Syal patted her shoulder one last time. "I will go back and sit with Keira."

Jag called over his shoulder as his mother departed. "Be sure to fasten your restraints. Jaina is flying us in."

Jaina shot Jag a dirty look as she secured the restraints over her shoulders. The hyperdrive timer began to chime with the one-minute warning. "If you're not careful, Jagged Fel, I'll install an ejection seat in the co-pilot's chair and space you."

Jag grinned as his hands deftly worked the controls, powering up shields and weapons systems, just in case. "I will take it under advisement." He stopped what he was doing and turned back to Jaina. "Did you think of a name yet? They are going to hail you, and I don't expect you are going to want to call a ship this good-looking _Unnamed Freighter_."

Jaina rolled her eyes as she grasped the yoke. "Maybe."

The timer began beeping its ten-second count-down, and Jag flipped the control over to automatic, allowing the computer to drop the ship from hyperspace. "I guess that means I will find out with the rest of the lower mortals."

"Exactly."

The swirling lines of hyperspace warped and broke as the ship dropped into the dark expanse of real space. Naboo loomed ahead in the viewport, half of it a kaleidoscope of white, blue and green, the other half dark in its own shadow. Jag quickly began scanning the tactical readout as Jaina inhaled sharply, absorbing the sight. Immediately a squadron's worth of fighters appeared on the board, vectoring for their location.

"We've got company. The computer is pulling up an ID now."

Jaina grinned knowingly as the formation swooped down from above their ship's plane of flight. She held her course straight for Naboo. "Trainers."

Jag dipped his head as the computer finished its analysis. "Probably a line squadron, minimal weapons, only shields are substantial."

"This should be fun."

The comm crackled with an incoming message. "Unidentified vessel, this is Nexu Lead of the Naboo Defense Force. Unscheduled flights are restricted around Naboo. Please identify your intent and purpose."

Jaina clicked the comm button on the steering yoke. "Nexu Lead, this is Nubian vessel _Amidala's Legacy_, requesting clearance to Theed Control."

"Nice name." Jag piped in as she finished.

"Thanks."

"_Amidala's Legacy_, state the nature of your business." Nexu Lead called again as the squadron formed up around the ship.

"Family business."

"That's going to go over well." Jag eyed Jaina suspiciously, wondering what she was up to.

An agitated Nexu Lead responded. "Please state the express intent of your business, including your name and the names of those you intend to visit."

"Now the fun begins." Jaina clipped the comm. "I don't think so, Nexu Lead. I want to talk to someone other than head of a training squadron. Why don't you get on the horn and dial up someone with some real power."

"Negative, _Amidala's Legacy_. Please state your identity and those you intend to visit. Then I will relay your request to Theed Control."

Jaina pursed her lips. "Gotta give him some props for sticking to the book." She replied to the squadron leader. "I don't think so, how about I just put down and see who I shake out of the control tower."

Suddenly the _Amidala's Legacy_ was spiraling down and away from the formation of fighters. To their credit, the squadron took to pursuit in a speedy and organized manner. However, their training fighters were no match in speed for Jaina's ship.

"_Amidala's Legacy_, I must insist you desist in your descent to the planet. I have called for back-up. You are now in direct disobedience of a Naboo Defense Force directive and subject to our laws…"

Jag cleared his throat. Jaina glanced over at him and shrugged. "You can't fault a girl for wanting to have a little fun." She opened the line as she slowed the ship. "Hold your tauntauns there, Nexu Lead." The trainers caught up quickly and formed up around the _Amidala's Legacy_. "I'll play your game. By the way, well done. Who's your training officer? He's done a good job."

"_Amidala's Legacy_, I must insist you state your name and…"

Another male voice broke through the transmission. "It's all right, Nexu Lead. I will handle it from here. _Amidala's Legacy_, please switch to channel one-three-eight."

Jaina, recognizing the voice, clicked her comm once and switched channels. "Brance, is that you?"

"That would be an affirmative, Colonel Solo or is it Fel?"

"Solo-Fel actually, and I believe it's Lieutenant Colonel."

"No, sir. You were promoted immediately after the Battle of Naboo. They would have made you Grand Admiral if they could have."

Jaina laughed. "It's good to hear your voice, Brance. So they've got you working the trainer lines."

"Yes, I joined the Naboo Defense Force after you left. It just didn't feel right flying in anything other than Twin Suns."

"Thanks, Brance. Maybe we can do something about that."

"It would be my honor to fly with you again Colonel Solo-Fel. Nexus will take you down. You have been requested to land at Hangar 32B. An information stream should be coming with more detailed instructions."

Jaina inhaled deeply; she was not even planetside, and the emotions were already taking a hold. "Will do. See you on the ground."

Jag, who had noticed the watery sheen of Jaina's eyes, offered his calm, almost imperceptible grin. "Welcome home, sweetheart."

* * *

The twelve training fighters of Nexu Squadron flanked Jaina's silver ship as she guided it toward Hangar 32B. Approaching the immense structure's door, Jaina studied the opening and the available space inside. She cast a sideways glance at Jag, who arched an eyebrow in return.

"A tight fit."

Jaina nodded in agreement, her lips pursed in concentration as she eased _Amidala's Legacy_ through the opening. "It will have to do." Passing into the cavernous bay, two familiar ships came into sight. She commented on the presence of the _Millenium Falcon_ and _Jade Shadow_. "Looks like the private Solo-Skywalker hangar."

Jag chuckled. "That it does."

The _Amidala's Legacy_, now completely inside the bay, lowered until it gently met solid ground. Jaina continued to reduce power to the repulsors, allowing the landing skids to settle under the full weight of the immense ship. Once the repulsors were completely powered down, she and Jag began running through the shut down process quickly.

Jag reached into his pocket and pulled out a personal comlink. He switched it on, dialed frequency and keyed the call button. Jag worked on shutting down the shields while he waited for a response. When one did not come he keyed it again. Finally, an agitated reply came back.

"This better be good."

* * *

Tahiri stood over a table littered with flimsiplasts and datacards, pushing them around as if she were searching for one in particular. From his perspective in the doorway leading into her office in the new Jedi headquarters, Rane studied Tahiri from behind and noted the tempting bare of the back of her neck. He slipped into the room quietly. Rane was almost to Tahiri when she spoke, her hands rifling through the items on the table still.

"Hello, Rane."

Rane frowned as he slid his hands along the curve of Tahiri's waist and buried his head into the crook of her neck on the side not hidden by her braid. He nuzzled his lips against her delicious smelling skin before answering.

"It can be kind of a drag dating a Jedi. Other women would have been pleasantly surprised."

Tahiri spun in his arms and smiled up. "I am still pleased even though I am not surprised, and may I remind you of some of those things we did last night that non-Jedi women cannot do."

Rane's grin developed a wicked twist. "Ah yes, how could I forget?" He leaned into her. "Can we try that again?"

Tahiri pulled her hands between their two bodies and shoved Rane away. "Later, big guy. Master Skywalker left me tons to do before the ceremony, and it's only three days away…"

Rane feigned a hurt frown. "I am wounded. You spurn my advances. My Corellian-Chiss-fighter pilot ego will never survive." He slapped a palm to his chest.

Tahiri slipped her fingers over his. "Maybe I can spare enough time to repair your pride."

Rane grinned. He reached around Tahiri and pushed the table's contents away. Then he hoisted her onto the table so they were eye to eye. As she wrapped her arms around Rane's neck, Tahiri parted her lips and licked them. Rane accepted the invitation eagerly.

The union of their mouths was rough and fast, like both were trying to cram a good deal of passion into a short period. Rane's fingers traced a path along Tahiri's tunic, his fingertips digging into her back as her tongue battled his. Rane leaned forward, tipping Tahiri back, and she giggled in his mouth.

A chime interrupted the silence of the room. Rane never batted an eye, merely continued to taste her mouth. Tahiri moaned as Rane's lips slid down her chin, then continued along to her neck. The chime came again.

In between kisses Tahiri spoke in a husky voice. "Don't you need to get that?"

Rane groaned and stopped in mid-kiss, still holding Tahiri suspended back over the table. "Hold that thought."

He fished in his pocket and pulled out the troublesome comlink. "This better be good."

A familiar voice replied in an officious tone. "Is that anyway to address a superior officer, Captain Fel?"

Rane practically dropped Tahiri before he gathered his wits and pulled them both upright. He pivoted and walked across the room as he replied, leaving Tahiri a bit miffed and confused until she heard what he said. "Jag, is that you?"

"Yes brother, it is."

Rane spun to face Tahiri. "Emperor's black bones, it's Jag."

Tahiri's eyes lit up. "Find out where he is." She moved closer in order to hear better.

"Are you on Naboo?"

"How else would I be calling on your personal comlink?" Jag sounded amused.

"Where are you? I will come get you." Tahiri started running around her office, shutting things off. Rane arched an eyebrow as he followed her movements.

"Perfect, I was kind of hoping to catch a ride to the Solo residence."

"Are Jaina and the baby here, too?"

"I would not have left them. Listen, no time to talk. We have got visitors. Come get us at Hangar 32B. Do you know where that is?"

Rane cast a questioning look at Tahiri, who nodded an affirmative. "I can manage to find it. See you in a few." As he flipped off the comlink, Tahiri grabbed her Jedi robe and headed for the door. Rane called after her. "And just where do you think you are going, Miss Veila?"

She spun on her heel, her green eyes sparkling. "With you, of course."

"Ah, I see. You were too busy to spend time with me but…"

Tahiri sped forward and grabbed Rane's hand. "Oh, get over it." She tugged him out the door. "Jaina's home; everything can wait." Rane dragged his feet until Tahiri turned to face him. "I will make it up to you, I promise."

Rane grinned. "I will hold you to that promise." He took off at a jog, his hand gripping hers. "Come on. I can't wait to see the baby."

Tahiri and Rane disappeared around the corner at a run, excited giggles trickling through the air.

* * *

"Perfect, I was kind of hoping to catch a ride to the Solo residence." Jag smiled over his shoulder as Jaina patted him once before slipping out of the cockpit. Turning around, he spotted a familiar figure walking across the hangar in his usual self-confident manner.

"Are Jaina and the baby here, too?" Rane's voice brimmed with enthusiasm.

"I would not have left them." Jag finished shutting off the last system on his control panel. "Listen, no time to talk. We have got visitors. Come get us at Hangar 32B. Do you know where that is?"

"I can manage to find it. See you in a few."

After pocketing the comlink, Jag leaned over in his seat and popped open a storage compartment by his feet. He reached blindly for his blaster and holster. Once it was firmly in his grasp, Jag straightened, standing with the weapon in his hand. He strapped the belt around his black pants, then tied the bottom of the holster to his right leg. Feeling somewhat more satisfied, he exited the cockpit, following the sound of Jaina's voice.

Entering the kitchen area, Jag found his mother and Jaina gathering the seemingly endless supplies required when moving Keira about. He picked up one of the prepared bags and slung the strap over his shoulder. Jaina spun and headed his way.

"Let me put these extra bottles in that bag."

As she stuffed the feeding bottles into the outer pocket of his bag, Jag eyed his wife, taking particular note of the blaster strapped at her hip and the lightsaber swinging from her belt. She had not worn either while in Csilla. Jaina eyed his blaster in turn, as Jag commented.

"Can't be too careful."

Jaina winked, probably trying to dispel the unspoken fears they both harbored. "No, you can't."

Jaina hoisted the second bag full of baby needs onto her shoulder while she addressed Syal. "Can you wait with Keira for a minute until we get our plans situated? I don't want to wake her if I can help it."

Syal tipped her head. "Of course. I will give you a few minutes before heading down with the precious cargo."

Jaina peered into the baby carrier, where Keira was securely fastened and dozing peacefully. She feathered the soft curve of Keira's cheek with the tip of her finger before turning to face Jag. "Ready?"

Jag motioned toward the exit with the sweep of an arm. Jaina complied, marching past with a confident gait. He smiled to his mother then followed. By the time Jag caught Jaina, she had the ramp almost completely open. Together they walked down side by side. A pair of feet came into view, followed by the legs and body until Tycho Celchu's face appeared. He was grinning from ear to ear.

"Jaina, Jag, welcome!" His greeting was heartfelt and warm.

At the bottom of the ramp, Jaina dropped her bag and stepped into Tycho's open arms. "Fitting you were the one to meet us. It feels like old times, flying in from some crazed mission, then heading for a debrief with you." Tycho held her tight before stepping back and offering his hand to Jag.

The two men shook hands. "Good to see you, General."

Tycho looked from Jag to the stars on his shoulder. "Ah, yes. I guess that would be news."

Jaina offered a mock salute. "Congratulations are in order then, sir."

Tycho winked. "As they are for you, Colonel Solo. Or is it Fel?"

Jaina giggled. "I chose Solo-Fel. Brance mentioned something about a promotion on the way down, so I guess we are all heading up. Tell me how did they sucker you into being a general finally. I always thought you were steadfast against it."

A hint of a blush tainted Tycho's cheeks. "I suppose I did resist, but when you are given an offer too good to refuse..." Jaina arched her eyebrow curiously. "You are looking at the new CO of NDF's Starfighter Command."

Jag responded first. "Congratulations, sir."

Tycho waved Jag off with his hand. "Please, no _sirs_. So Colonel Solo-Fel, tell me about this mission you have been on. Did you bring my wife's namesake back for all to see?"

Both parents beamed proudly as Jaina replied. "She's still on the ship. She'll be down in a minute."

Tycho beamed. "Winter was so honored you used her name. I can't even begin to tell you."

"We struggled to find a middle name, but let's just say I was inspired during the middle of delivering the little angel." Jaina paused, her features becoming serious. The two men followed her eyes and spotted a procession of uniformed men entering the hangar. Once everyone recognized Wedge and Iella Antilles in the lead, the trio relaxed.

Tycho glanced over his shoulder. "I should have mentioned others were on the way. I was working late when the call came in to Starfighter Command that you were heading planetside. In true Solo style, Jaina, your arrival caused quite a commotion. So I handled the initial arrangements myself, which pretty much consisted of deferring to the big guns." He nodded toward his approaching friends.

Wedge was trying to maintain a dignified gait, while Iella was barking orders at the uniformed men. The businesslike authority Iella projected overpowered any excitement she might have felt. The column of men fanned out at regular intervals until the entire hangar was secured in a perimeter of guards. Only then did the older couple break into a pair of genuine smiles.

Tycho stepped aside, and Iella grappled Jaina into a hug while Wedge did likewise to Jag. The couples reversed positions, exchanging words of welcome. Finally, when the greetings were over, everyone formed a tight circle. Iella let out her breath in a hiss.

"Not that I am not grateful to see you two, but couldn't you have given us a little warning?"

Wedge rubbed his wife's back. "Forgive Iella. She's been a little stressed keeping around the clock protection on the hordes of dignitaries here for the Jedi Praxeum dedication ceremony."

Jag offered his apologies. "We did not mean to cause an inconvenience for you. On the contrary, we were hoping to slip in unnoticed for a few days, before the mayhem erupts."

Wedge chuckled. "You two are going to be the biggest news since we won the war. The war heroes return, married and with a child…" Wedge halted in mid-sentence, and his eyes widened. "Speaking of, where is that great-niece of mine?"

Jaina peered over her shoulder up the ramp. A swishing skirt glided down the length, moving slowly so as to not disturb the baby carrier accompanying it. Wedge exclaimed as he recognized his sister.

"Sweet Force, you conned Soontir into letting Syal out of the Unknown Regions again."

Jaina snorted. "We did one better. We convinced Soontir to move to Naboo."

Wedge's face reflected shock as he stared at his approaching sister. "Is it true?"

Syal smiled warmly, her blue eyes dancing. "How could we let this precious baby be so far away from her grandparents?"

All eyes were drawn to the sleeping face nestled inside a cozy sleep outfit. As if sensing the attention, Keira rolled her head lazily and mouthed her fist. Jaina accepted the carrier from Syal and pulled Keira into the circle so everyone could get a better look. Syal eased between Wedge and Iella, hugging each in turn.

Wedge boxed Jag playfully on the arm. "She's a looker already, Jag. You better lock that little lady up."

Jag grinned. "She is beautiful, isn't she?"

Iella was about to comment when her comlink buzzed. "Excuse me." Iella stepped out of the gathering and spoke in a hushed voice as the others marveled over Keira. Iella returned after a brief conversation. She addressed Jaina and Jag.

"I secured this hangar for the time being. It seems my men have caught the first in a long line of well-wishers to be sure. I will do my best to protect your family, but it seems this pair have made it past…"

A squeal of delight interrupted Iella. All eyes turned to the hangar entrance, where Tahiri and Rane had busted through the door. "Jaina!"

Jag scooped Keira's carrier away from Jaina so his wife could close the gap to her friend. The two women crashed into each other, laughing and giggling like schoolgirls. Rane continued past. As his focus left Tahiri and Jaina and turned to the group, his step faltered.

"Mom?"

Rane jogged forward the last steps and picked his mother up in a tight embrace, spinning her around once before putting her back down. Syal cupped her youngest son's cheeks and planted a kiss on him.

"Oooooo, you get more and more handsome."

"Mother…" Rane blushed as he protested. "What are you doing here?"

Syal smiled. "Your father and I decided a change was in order."

Rane grabbed his mother's hands as Tahiri and Jaina joined the gathering. "You're moving here?"

Syal nodded. Rane shot a quick eye to Tahiri as if a sudden idea had come to his mind. He recovered quickly, but the act was not lost on most, especially Jaina whose mouth contorted in a mischievous grin. As if to throw the attention from himself, Rane thrust his hand at Jag, who shifted the carrier to the other hand and grabbed his brother's hand forcefully. Instead of shaking it though, Jag yanked Rane closer and wrapped one arm around him in half of a hug.

As the two men parted, Jaina held her arms open. "Do I get a hug, too, or do you reserve all those for my friend Tahiri here?"

A chorus of snickers erupted as Rane stepped over and accepted Jaina's offer. "Welcome home, Jaina."

Jaina stepped back, eyeing Tahiri. "So I see things have progressed since leaving Csilla?"

To the blonde Jedi's credit, she kept her face neutral as she cocked her head at the baby carrier. "And the same could be said for you."

Jaina, easily distracted by attention pointed at her daughter, followed Tahiri's lead. "Yes, they have." Jag brought the carrier closer so Tahiri and Rane could see Keira. Jaina softly caressed her sleeping daughter's brow. "Keira, I would like you to meet your Uncle Rane and…" Jaina paused and stared directly at Tahiri, who was obviously besotted with the child at first sight. "…your Auntie Tahiri."

Tahiri lifted her gaze and stared into Jaina's eyes. The younger woman's eyes glistened with unshed tears. She mouthed two words, afraid to shatter the moment. "Thank you."


	4. Mom and Dad

**CHAPTER 3**

The escort vehicle in front of Rane's speeder eased through the checkpoint into the well-guarded residential section of Theed where the Solo family lived. The caravan of vehicles containing guards assigned by Iella at either end moved entirely too slow for Jaina's taste. With a huff she unstrapped her restraints and leaned over the back of the front passenger seat to check on Keira.

Jaina smiled at Jag, who was sitting next to their sleeping daughter. Keira had woken only once in the shuffle of packing the speeder, then fallen back to sleep. Jaina fingered Keira's cheek gently, sending her daughter comforting thoughts. With any luck they would make it through the rest of the evening without disrupting Keira's schedule any more than necessary.

Jag grasped Jaina's hand, and their eyes met. Despite the palpable excitement in the air, everyone in the speeder was unusually quiet, probably for fear of waking Keira. Jag did not break the still of the air with words, merely squeezed Jaina's hand once. Her lips curled up in the slightest of grins.

Jaina let go of Jag's hand as the speeder eased to a stop in order to balance her shifting weight against the seatback. As the speeder settled on its repulsors, Jaina twisted back into a sitting position and glanced out the window on the passenger side. Rising up out of the night, her parents' home blazed in the darkness, promising the comforts of a family Jaina had been separated from for entirely too long.

She had been careful to hide her presence in the Force, but it was all Jaina could do to keep from reaching for her mother at the sight of the front porch lights welcoming her home. Jaina swung around in her seat and addressed Jag excitedly.

"Can you get the…"

Jag scooted forward in his own seat and placed a finger over Jaina's lips. "I have got it covered. Go on."

Jaina kissed his finger instinctively. Then without a moment's hesitation, she slapped the door release and jumped out of the speeder. Her feet barely touched the steps as she bounded up to the front door. Jaina reached for the door chime and then suddenly hesitated with her hand inches from the button. At that moment a tidal wave of emotions threatened to overtake her, but Jaina dispelled them with a deep cleansing breath. The swell of tears ebbed back, and the fluttering of her stomach calmed.

With the tip of her index finger Jaina pressed the button. She stepped back and let her hands fall to her side. The anticipation caused her breath to halt. Jaina's shoulders stiffened and as no immediate response was apparent, the tension spread along her arms until her fingers became rigid as well.

Jaina stepped back on one foot and studied the front of the townhome stretching up before her, fearing that she might be waking her parents at this late hour. Lights shone in most rooms, indicative of a household more awake than asleep. The sight reminded Jaina that her mother was never one to settle in early and her father never went to bed until her mother retired, even if that meant he was dozing in the chair feigning to watch the holonet while her mother worked diligently over one project or another. The memory eased Jaina's concern, and she inhaled deeply while allowing her fingers to curl before releasing her index finger to reach for the door chime again. Halfway there the door slid open.

Jaina's eyes jumped from following her hand to the sight of her father backlit against the bright lights of the foyer. As expected, a slightly sleepy air fogged his expression as he blinked slowly once, then twice. A grin grew across Jaina's face at the sight.

"Hi, Dad."

_Ding-ding-ding-dong._

The familiar short melody of the _Alderaanian Symphony in A Minor_ programmed into the door chime rang out, causing Han to start in his chair. As usual, he had drifted off to the realm between consciousness and sleep, his feet propped up and the recliner leaned back. The din of the holonet played in the background.

"Han dear, can you get the door? Threepio is in the oil dip again." Leia's voice trickled out of the study down the hall from the family room. She had been ensconced there all night reviewing policies proposed by the newly elected legislature. Han shifted his weight forward, causing the recliner to close before running a palm along his weary face.

"Sure. I think I can manage."

Han rose slowly, his aging bones resisting the command to stand. He stretched his arms up, eliciting a pop in his lower back. Dropping his arms, Han curled his toes in the carpet. Feeling slightly more awake, he slowly made his way toward the foyer. As Han reached for the door controls, he decided to deal a harsh scolding to whatever crazed aide had decided some pressing matter could not wait until tomorrow morning.

As the door slid open, Han prepared himself for either the sight of the blue-skinned Twilek or greener Rodian, both of whom lacked the spine to handle matters on their own and frequently deferred to Leia to render uncomfortable decisions. Instead, a tiny brown-haired woman dressed in a green and ecru pant suit smiled up at him. Han blinked once, noting the similarity she bore to Jaina. Only this woman was decidedly healthier than the last time he had seen his daughter, and certainly more mature in appearance than his little girl ever would be.

Then the woman smiled, causing Han to blink again, maybe in disbelief or possibly as a strange reflex. When he opened his eyes, she was still there, her smile even brighter than before, her face growing younger by the millisecond until she was that crazy chocolate-haired child that had shadowed him years before.

"Hi, Dad."

The voice was like that of a dream, a voice Han was so desperate to hear again that he was sure now he was dreaming as the woman morphed before his eyes into his little girl. Perhaps, she was a specter he had conjured up, or possibly he had never really woken at all but rather was still reclined in front of the holovision playing out some whimsical fantasy. Despite all these possibilities and the knowledge that Jaina was hidden away in the Unknown Regions, Han reached out with his hand.

Afraid the full force of his touch would dispel the dream he feathered a touch with his fingertip. When he met solid flesh, the rest of Han's hand joined in, his palm running the length of her cheek. Then he froze as the full realization hit him that Jaina, his only daughter, was standing whole on his front porch. Emotions boiled forth from the essence of his very being and spilled forth in a blood curdling whoop as only he could produce.

At the same time, Han grabbed Jaina and pulled her through the threshold, burying her slight form in the fiercest of hugs. He touched his daughter, palming her back, and smelled her, the slight fragrance she wore wafting into his nose as he buried his face in her hair, and listened to her as she responded to his welcome.

"I was afraid you had forgotten who I was for a second."

The feel of her giggles and the vibration of her voice reminded Han that she was all too real. Han stepped back to hold Jaina at arm's length, fearful to completely let go. Tears brimmed in his eyes so she was becoming a watery blur before him. "Not forgotten, sweetheart. Your old man was just afraid he was losing it. I have dreamt of seeing you so often, I feared I had dreamt myself silly. Just to be sure though, how about giving your father one more hug."

Jaina jumped back into Han's arms, wrapping her slender arms around his torso and squeezing for all she was worth. At that moment Han knew she was not a dream. He kissed her hair and held her tighter than he should have as the moist feel of his daughter's own tears permeated his shirt.

"I love you, Daddy."

Syal unbuckled Keira's safety seat as her sons worked on unloading the assortment of travel bags from the rear of the speeder. She glanced up to see Jaina shuffling nervously at the top of the steps. Syal smiled as she imagined the hundreds of wondrous emotions running through her daughter-in-law's mind. A voice interrupted her reflection.

"Mom, what do you want of your things?"

Syal glanced over her shoulder at Rane who was staring over the seats from the open storage compartment. "Leave it all. You can drop me at Wedge and Iella's place after this."

Jag ducked under the hatch and peered over the seat, his head next to Rane's. "You don't plan on coming in? I am sure the Solos would love to see you."

Syal smiled at her two sons, so much alike in facial structure, but seemingly so different in coloring that they became two very distinct people. Her heart swelled with pride at the sight of the two handsome young men who were testimony of the love between her and Soontir. "No, tonight is Jaina's night. Her mother and father deserve to have their daughter to themselves. Besides, I will get to see you in the morning as long as everyone accepts Iella's invitation for breakfast."

Rane grinned. "I am game as long as you make your breakfast puffs."

Jag bounced his shoulder off Rane playfully while they each gathered more belongings. "You would be there if she made burnt bantha." Jag smiled at his mother as Rane disappeared with an armful of luggage. "We will be there. You know Jaina can't resist your puffs either."

A deafening yell pierced the air. Jag stood quickly and bumped his head on the hatch. "Shavit!"

Between the two exclamations, Keira stirred from her peaceful slumber. As Syal glanced from the sight of Han Solo picking Jaina off the ground in a powerful hug to her son clutching the back of his head, her smile faded to a frown. Hearing Keira whimper, Jag apologized immediately.

"Sorry. That hurt like there was no tomorrow."

Syal shot Jag a piercing glare despite his obvious discomfort, then turned her attention to her granddaughter, who was now demanding to be heard with a crescendo of cries. She freed Keira from the restraints of her carrier and pulled the red-faced infant to her.

"Shhhh, my beautiful little girl. I know, there is simply too much excitement for sleeping babies." Syal bounced the baby against her chest to no avail.

Jag, now at the door to the passenger compartment, dipped his head into the cramped quarters. "Do you want me to take her?"

Syal picked Keira off her shoulder in between hiccoughs of protest. She handed the infant to Jag. The comforting touch of her father muted the cries, and by the time Keira was nestled against Jag's chest the only sound she emitted was little more than an occasional sputter. Syal scooted over to the edge of the speeder so she was looking up at her son, just to be sure Keira was doing fine. Once satisfied, Syal noticed Jag staring up at the reunion between Han and Jaina.

Despite his calm demeanor in the face of Keira's anxiety, Syal recognized the certain set of her son's jaw and the concerned look hidden in his green eyes. She stepped out of the car, ending at his side. One arm wrapped around Jag as they watched Jaina jump from Han's embrace to the welcoming arms of her mother. Syal batted away a tear with her free hand and squeezed Jag's waist with the other. Then she urged him forward.

"Go on, Son." When Jag hesitated, Syal touched his cheek with a smooth palm. Jag turned to look at his mother. "Don't worry. All they will remember is that you kept your promise and brought Jaina home." Keira mewed as if to add her own peace. "And when they see that beautiful daughter of yours, neither Han nor Leia will be able to help but love you like their own."

Jag dipped his eyes in appreciation before leaning into his mother and pecking a kiss on her cheek. Then he turned and mounted the steps to be with his wife. For a moment, Syal watched, but then the emotion of the moment was more than she thought her heart could bear. As she escaped to the confines of the passenger compartment, Tahiri and Rane climbed into the front seats. Rane glanced over his shoulder at his mother, concern reflecting in his brown eyes.

"Are you all right?"

"Just a little too happy for my own good, that's all." Syal choked on the words as she dabbed her eyes.

Tahiri reached over her seat and held out a tissue, while offering a comforting smile. "I had an inclination that these would come in handy."

Syal accepted the tissue with a gracious smile. "My sons find the most precious women to fall in love with. Thank you."

As Tahiri and Rane exchanged a quick glance, a chuckle escaped the older woman's lips. She eyed her son. "Well, you are, aren't you?"

Rane blushed the same red hue his father did on rare occasions. Syal shifted her gaze to Tahiri. "Please tell me my son has professed his true feelings, or I may have to box his ears."

Tahiri giggled. "More than once, Mrs. Fel."

Syal leaned back in her seat and grinned. "Good. Now take me to Wedge's house. We have a great bit of catching up to do, and I need to help Iella start on breakfast. I have a feeling by the time tomorrow morning rolls around there will be a lot more than the initial invitees showing up at her door."

Tahiri turned back to settle into her seat as Rane initiated the repulsors. "I have a feeling you are right."

The ringing of the door chime was enough of a distraction to cause Leia to lose her place in the tedious legal jargon she was mulling through. Leia brushed aside her braid, which had fallen over her shoulder, and straightened in her seat. She inhaled deeply once and then let out the air in a hiss. Sensing no action from Han, Leia called out, now thoroughly annoyed by the disruption.

"Han dear, can you get the door? Threepio is in the oil dip again." Leia forced her tone to not betray her internal aggravation, a skill learned from years of diplomacy.

Han's voice hid none of his weary mind's annoyance at being called upon. "Sure. I think I can manage."

Leia accepted his emotions for what they were and set her mind back to finishing the evening's task, piles of laborious reading rested in tidy stacks all around her desk. She was determined to wipe out at least one stack before retiring for the night. It was not difficult for Leia to forget that there ever was a distraction. Mere seconds later, she was again thoroughly immersed in the train of words before her.

An earsplitting cry filled with unadulterated joy broke the silence of the household. Although Leia knew her husband to wear his emotions on his sleeve, the shout of glee was reminiscent of the one heard moments after the destruction of the Death Star and on a few other rare occasions. Leia was on her feet instantly sensing some blazing emotions rolling from the front of the house like none she had ever felt before. As she rounded the corner of the desk, she crashed knee first into the beveled edge. The pain should have halted Leia in her tracks but some unknown force was urging her on.

Leia hobbled out the door, and by the time she was in the hallway and heading for the foyer, her limp was all but forgotten. The turn in the hall toward the foyer blinded Leia to the events unfolding but some wall in the Force dropped suddenly, giving insight into who the unexpected arrival truly was. A blazing presence, one Leia had not felt in far too long, shone like a beacon of happiness, filling a hollow pit in her soul. 

One hand clutched Leia's chest as her feet faltered momentarily. The last steps leading to the openness of the foyer took an agonizingly long time. She heard the voice before she was able to see the truth with her own eyes.

"I was afraid you had forgotten who I was for a second."

What a beautiful sound to a mother's ears it was, the sound of a long lost child. The giggles of a brown-haired girl trickled around the corner, tugging Leia the remaining few feet. She watched as her husband stepped back to hold their child, the product of their love, at arm's length. There was an unusually emotional timber to his voice.

"Not forgotten, sweetheart. Your old man was just afraid he was losing it. I have dreamt of seeing you so often, I feared I had dreamt myself silly. Just to be sure though, how about giving your father one more hug."

Leia sympathized with her husband. She had felt the familiar presence of her daughter in the Force, but only the truth of Jaina standing before her two eyes would satisfy her heart's need. Then Leia realized that maybe her eyes were not enough. Her hands begged for a touch, a sensory input long missing.

Leia started forward, then stopped as Jaina jumped back into Han's arms, wrapping her slender arms around his torso and squeezing for all she was worth. Tears brimmed her lower lids, and quickly slid in paths down Leia's cheeks. As Han kissed Jaina's hair, Leia's hand came to her mouth.

"I love you, Daddy."

Leia stifled a sob, overcome by the depth of the emotion in those four words. The noise caught Jaina's attention, and she turned her liquidy brown orbs to the sound. A tender smile, one Leia thought she would never know, one that Jaina had never bestowed on her before, creased the corners of Jaina's mouth. Her daughter had always held Leia to some certain standard which she had never been able to meet; perhaps motherhood had allowed Jaina to see past that benchmark,set unbelievably high, so high Leia had never been able to reach it. 

Jaina tugged free of her father's embrace and closed the space. "Mom…" The words were a cry, a desperate need to find comfort that only a mother could provide.

Jaina crashed into Leia's arms, and Leia was once again as about as whole as she could ever be since the loss of Anakin. Mother and daughter buried tear-stained faces into the other's hair while sobs wracked their bodies. With Jaina back in her arms Leia recalled the wonderful bond nurtured in the womb and strengthened over time. A connection forged at the beginning of her daughter's life reignited in the pit of Leia's very being.

Leia pulled away, her hands seeking Jaina's cheeks. The smoothness of her palms meeting the wet tears of joy. Leia leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on the corner of Jaina's mouth, then backed just far enough away to stare into the pair of beautiful brown eyes, the one part of Jaina that reflected her mother, for in every other way she was Han's daughter. One thumb stroked away a fresh tear while Leia choked on her words. 

"You're home."

Jaina nodded, unable to voice a response. A hand on Leia's back caused her to look to her left. At her side, one hand at his wife's back, the other at his daughter's back, Han beamed down at both women. In unison, mother and daughter fell into the strength of his chest, and Han folded them into a family hug.

The embrace was short-lived though as something caught Jaina's attention. She lifted her head, looking to the still open doorway. Framed in the threshold, Jag stood holding a small bundle in his arms. Jaina removed herself from her parents' arms and moved to her husband. Leia and Han let her go reluctantly, their eyes glued to the scene. Jaina glanced up at Jag, and they smiled in unison before she fingered the edge of the blanket to reveal a tiny head.

Jaina stroked the tuft of raven hair down, then turned to face her parents. She guided Jag the few short steps closer to Leia and Han, who stood frozen in the magic of the moment.

"Mom, Dad, I want you to meet Keira, your granddaughter."

Keira obliged everyone by turning her head away from where it was buried in her father's chest for all to see the innocent beauty of her face. Leia's heart was stolen anew by the wonderous sight of her firstborn grandchild, matched only by the amazed sensation rolling off her husband in waves. Leia tore her gaze from Keira to meet her daughter's brown eyes.

"She's beautiful." Leia declared.

"Do you want to hold her?" Jag lifted his arm away and offered Keira to her newly acquainted grandmother.

Leia turned her gaze to Jag, his proud green eyes meeting hers. She dipped her head in acknowledgement and offered a simple reply. "Thank you."

The slight upturn of the corner of Jag's mouth indicated he understood the depth of her words. Leia was expressing gratitude for more than the offer, but also for the safe return of her daughter, for the keeping of a promise. In the exchange of the tiny bundle of arms and legs, Leia experienced the faint probing of her granddaughter and then a sense of familiarity. The squirming calmed until Keira rested comfortably in her arms.

Peering down, Leia saw the same round face Jaina had as an infant framed by a swath of black hair much like her father's. A pair of eyes, so pale the green tint was barely recognizable, gazed up. Han leaned over to share the view, one arm encircling Leia's waist in the process. Although Han and Leia had been grandparents for several months, the reality smacked them to their very core as both stared at the product of Jag and Jaina's love.

"Hello, my little Keira princess. You are as pretty as your Mommy ever was."

Instead of turning to the sound of Han's tingling voice, Keira swung her head from side to side. Leia sensed Han's immediate disappointment when the infant did not seem to be aware of him. He raised a hand and snapped his fingers before the child. Leia sensed the momentary anguish, for that was the only way she could describe it, from Jaina as she snatched her father's hand.

"Dad, don't." 

Both sets of grandparents' eyes fixed on Jaina, questioning her. The brief emotional turmoil was instantly replaced by a determined set; the one Jaina was famous for, the look that defied the odds and the galaxy in one. Then Jaina squeezed her father's fingers as she struggled with whatever truth hid behind her eyes. In true Jaina fashion, she did not run from the news, merely inhaled sharply and spat it out.

"Keira's blind. She can't see you, but she will listen. That's why she isn't looking at you." 

Leia noticed the brief flash of sadness as her husband's mouth dropped. To his credit he gathered his wits quicker than the impression could be made on Jaina. Leia, forever practiced at hiding her emotions, pushed the grief for her grandchild's lack of eyesight deep into the recesses of her psyche. With one arm she cradled Keira to her chest, her unoccupied fingertips traced across the tiny forehead, pushing back a tussle of hair.

"She's perfect in every way."

A single tear escaped Jaina's eye as Jag pulled his wife into his chest. Leia watched as Jaina nestled a cheek into the strength of her husband's being, one palm flat against his shirt, the other batting away the tear as if to banish its sentiment with the act. Leia sensed the couple's resolve to not allow their daughter's blindness to affect their happiness. The love flowing between Jag and Jaina to the tiny life in her arms reminded Leia of what it meant to be a parent, to want nothing but the best for your child and even more so to want every advantage possible.

Jaina returned her mother's gaze. "Thanks, Mom. We know."

Han's tentative voice broke the momentary exchange of understanding. "May I?"

The new grandfather held his hands out to Leia. For a second, she hesitated, holding Keira a little tighter to her body. Her reluctance was based solely on selfish motives. Too long Leia had been denied the privilege of holding her grandchild, but she reminded herself that Han had not had the honor either. Tentatively, she offered the tiny bundle of blankets and wriggling limbs to her husband.

Keira squirmed and wiggled in the transfer until she was firmly ensconced in Han's arms. A few coos escaped the infant's lips. Han raised Keira up and lowered his own head so he was as close as possible. To everyone's astonishment, Keira reached up and slapped a tiny palm to his chin, one finger curling into his lower lip. Han smiled and then a tiny miracle occurred. Keira formed a semblance of a smile on her miniscule lips.

Han spoke, careful of the finger still attached to his lip. "You and I, Miss Keira, we are going to be the best of friends."

From Keira's gurgling coo, it was apparent she agreed.

"Wait until you see it, Dad. The _Legacy_ is the most amazing ship." Resting a hip on the arm of the recliner in the family room, Jaina continued the lively banter that had been almost non-stop since her arrival. To Jaina, it seemed like she had never been separated from her parents by the vast amounts of time and space.

Han, who was propped back in the same recliner with Keira nestled against his chest, raised a questioning eyebrow. "But is it the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy?"

Jaina boxed her father's shoulder playfully. "She's no hunk of junk, that's for sure."

Jag grinned mischievously. "I think she will give the _Falcon_ a run for her money."

The aging Corellian shot his son-in-law a piercing look. "We'll see about that."

Jaina took the edge of a towel and wiped a little spittle of drool oozing out of the corner of Keira's mouth moments before it would have reached her father's pristine white shirt. "Dad, why don't you use this towel before she makes a mess all over you?"

Han waved Jaina off with a flip of the hand. "I used to have you and Jacen drooling pools all over me. Keira and I are just fine."

Jaina glanced to her mother, who was sitting on the couch with Jag watching all this with a huge grin on her face. Jaina also sensed some underlying longing, and then realized her father had monopolized Keira since taking her in the foyer. Additionally Jaina had never been far from her daughter, hovering around protectively even though her father was more than capable of handling Keira on his own.

Rising from the edge of the recliner, Jaina slipped over to the couch and plopped down between her mother and Jag, taking one hand in each of hers. Leia weaved her fingers between Jaina's before tightening her grip.

Han readjusted Keira as she had slid down his chest. "So it sounds like you two will be paying for that ship for the rest of your lives."

"Han…" Leia protested.

Jag cut his mother-in-law off with an explanation. "No, we own the ship outright."

Han leaned forward, Keira still clutched to his chest, and the recliner snapped to the upright position. "And just how did you pull that off?" Han grinned knowingly. "Oh, I guess the Baron bought it for you two. How nice." Han raised a wary eyebrow at Jaina. "Well, don't be expecting any handouts from your old smuggler father and politician mother. We earned our keep the old-fashioned way, through hard-work accompanied by the occasional underhanded scheme. I expect the same from you, young lady. That's not to say we won't help out from time to time."

Leia opened her mouth again to rebuke her husband, but Jaina got her say in first. "Dad, we don't expect anything from any of our parents. Just for the record, Jag bought the ship with his own money. If you must know, his parents gave Jag and all his siblings trusts; my husband has invested wisely over the years. We can do just fine on our own with that."

Leia patted Jaina's knee with her free hand. "That's wonderful, sweetheart." Then the former princess eyed her husband with a disapproving glare. "Han, dear, I don't think their first hour home is time to discuss financial planning, do you?"

To everyone's amazement, Jag intervened on Han's behalf. "It's perfectly understandable… Leia." Jag fumbled momentarily over a proper title with which to address his mother-in-law. "You can trust that when Keira is older, I will be less understanding than your husband with her suitors."

Han dipped his head in appreciation to Jag, then arched an eyebrow to his wife. "You see, Jag can appreciate where I am coming from. I only want what's best for my girls." Han stroked Keira's back affectionately.

Leia shared a quiet exchange with her husband, then smiled, squeezing Jaina's hand as she did. "Well, you say this ship was an anniversary present."

Jaina's eyes sparkled. "Yes, it was."

Leia rose from the couch. "I guess we missed quite a few significant life events over the past year, including some lifedays and anniversaries. I am going to have to plan one big celebration for later." She strolled across the living room to a small credenza and opened a drawer. "For now though I think you two should have this."

Walking back to the couch, Leia extended a small envelope to Jaina. As she accepted the gift, Jaina fingered the fine parchment before flipping open the flap. Jag watched with some interest as Jaina withdrew the paper inside. Her eyes scanned the paper, running back and forth along the text. Finally Jaina held the paper out to her mother, a perplexed look in her eyes.

Leia grinned as if she expected that very reaction. "This is a deed to the land adjacent to the Lake House. Since the settling of Naboo, the appropriation of land has been very tightly controlled and regulated. I pulled some strings, but it was not hard to convince the powers-that-be this property would be a fitting reward for the heroes of the Yuuzhan Vong war."

Han piped in. "The land is barren, but has tons of potential."

Jaina never took her eyes off her mother. "Is this Padme's field, the one by the waterfalls?"

Leia nodded. "Precisely, and the surrounding twenty acres. It is a perfect place to raise a family… I mean, that is if Naboo is where you want to settle down. Perhaps you two were thinking of the new Coruscant or Mon Cal…"

Jaina did not hear the rest as sobs overtook her. She felt Jag's arms encircle her shoulders and pull her close to him. Jaina slumped over, her palm flat against his chest, her face buried into his shirt. She heard the tremble of Jag's voice in his chest.

"Thank you both very much. We definitely hoped to make a start on Naboo, barring our career paths allow that. I think Jaina is a little too happy for her own good right now."

Jaina felt another hand rubbing her back and the shifting of the couch cushions behind her. Her mother was so close when she spoke that Jaina felt the warmth of her breath. "Is that all, Jaina?"

Jaina lifted her head and looked into her mother's glistening brown eyes. "My life has been so perfect in the last couple of months that I am afraid it will all come crashing down. After everything we have lived through, I keep waiting for something insane to happen, like Jag turning to the Dark Side. I know that seems crazy, but I can't help it."

Leia looked past Jaina to Jag then back to her daughter. She clutched Jaina's chin. "Take it from your wise old mother, take the happiness and store it up for those times that aren't so perfect. After all you have been through, you two deserve this happiness. I can't promise you nothing else bad will happen, but you know Jag and your father and I will be here for you even in the bad times – no matter what." Leia paused, "Okay?"

Jaina sniffled and dropped her eyes in response. "Mmm-huh." She started to bat away the tears when a voice interrupted.

"Couldn't you have given my sister a day before you gave her the scolding she deserves for keeping that niece of mine away for far too long?"

Jaina was off the couch and crashing into Jacen before he even finished speaking. He had to stumble back a few steps as the force of his sister's attack was too much to overcome. As her arms encircled his neck and she buried her face into a shoulder, Jacen picked Jaina up and turned her in a circle, setting her feet back down once the circuit was completed.

As Jaina lowered from her toes to flat feet, she stared into her brother's matching brown eyes. Everything that needed to be said occurred in some unspoken bond that others in the room observed with some degree of envy. Together, the twins smiled as if sharing a private joke. Leia, overcome by the sight of her twins reunited, sneaked over to her husband's side. Jacen and Jaina flashed beaming grins to their parents, sensing the flood of emotions coming from that direction. It became a rare special family moment.

Finally Jaina spoke. "How did you know to come? Mom said you would be out at the Lake House until tomorrow."

Jacen smiled his lop-sided grin. "Tahiri commed me. Tenel Ka and I came right away."

Jaina's mouth fell open. She leaned to the side and peered toward the hallway around Jacen's broad shoulders. A flame-haired head poked around the corner slowly until Tenel Ka emerged from hiding. She was dressed in the familiar Dathomiri skins of years gone by, not the customary Hapan garb of a royal. The two old friends grinned at each other and years of separation faded away.

"Did Ta'a Chume chase you off?"

Tenel Ka donned a serious expression. "She has tried and alas failed time and time again. My grandmother asks after you often. She still seems to have a strange affection for you."

Both women chuckled. Jaina walked forward and clutched Tenel Ka in a fierce hug. "I had no idea you were here." Jaina pulled away and glanced over her shoulder at her mother for a second. Leia shrugged innocently. "But it is welcome news of course. Are you here for the Jedi Praxeum dedication?"

"Ah yes, there is that, but I really just needed a good excuse for a vacation. Your arrival makes the trip all the more worth while, my friend."

Jaina clutched a hand around Tenel Ka's elbow. "Come see the newest Solo to plague the galaxy."

As she turned to lead the Hapan Queen across the room, Jaina was greeted by the sight of her brother standing with Keira nestled in his arms, with Jag at his side anxiously ensuring his brother-in-law held their daughter correctly. Keira's arms swung with balled fists in the air until Jacen offered a finger for her to clutch. He grinned up at Jaina.

"Another fighter in the family, I see."

With their arms around each other's waist, Tenel Ka and Jaina walked the short distance to the foot of Han's recliner. The proud grandfather watched on, tugging Leia into his lap. The pair giggled like newlyweds as the younger crowd ignored their antics to pay closer attention to the lady of the hour.

Jag politely addressed Tenel Ka. "It is nice to see you again, your Highness."

The red-head squinted her eyes and pursed her lips for a moment as she dipped her head courteously. She then glared at Jacen. Jaina and Jag waited quietly to see what offense had been made. Jacen merely shrugged at his friend.

"It's not my fault. He didn't know."

"Fact, but it was your duty. You promised."

Jaina marveled at how easily the two old friends fell back into familiar patterns. She winked at Jacen, and the siblings shared a knowing thought as Jaina found her twin more self-assured than ever. It was apparent he and Tenel Ka had resolved the question of their relationship. It showed in the comfortable manner the two operated.

Tenel Ka flashed a toothy grin at Jag. "Shall I call you Colonel Fel or Jag?"

Jag furrowed his brow, not picking up on the jesting nature of the usual guarded queen. "Jag."

"Then I shall be Tenel Ka." Jag dipped his head. "Until the ceremony when duty calls I am simply an old friend vacationing on Naboo. I believe you and I formed some sort of friendship on Hapes. In fact, I believe all Hapans, including myself, owe a great debt to you for your part in the defense of our Cluster some time back."

Jag straightened his shoulders. "It was my honor, but I believe the debt is mine." He wrapped an arm around Jaina's waist as he returned Tenel Ka's warm smile.

"It was my pleasure."

Jaina observed the exchange with a quizzical expression. "Your pleasure?"

Jag interceded. "Tenel Ka just gave me a push in the right direction when I was set on running for the hills."

"Ah, I see. I guess my darker side was a little too much woman for you to handle."

Jag pulled Jaina to him, so their bodies meshed together. "Never that, more like my Chiss pride could not stand another flogging. At that point in my limited experience with women, I was contemplating celibacy as a way of life. A man has his pride, my dear wife."

Jaina winked at her husband as his eyes sparkled in jest. She was thankfully now able to accept those dark years for the gift they were, a path to the light and love she now resided in full time. She grinned at her friend. "Then I too am in your debt for I would never have ended up with this precious family."

"I think you two would have found a way without my help. When I see the three of you there is no doubt of that, but I am glad I could be of some service, at least to speed things along."

Jaina addressed her brother as he swung his finger to and fro, pulling Keira's hand with it. "So?" She dipped her head in Keira's direction.

"I already told your husband she is the most precious thing I have ever seen." Jacen had yet to look up.

Tenel Ka commented as well. "A daughter, you are truly blessed."

Jaina's smile was rueful. "You don't know how true that is."

Jaina's smile faded as she watched Jacen interact with Keira. His brow furrowed momentarily after studying her actions. Then he peeked up to question his sister. "Is she…"

Jaina completed his question when Jacen hesitated. "Blind, yes."

On reflex Jacen turned to Jag, who confirmed his suspicions. "It was a result of the serum." His voice betrayed some of the guilt that still plagued the pilot.

"You had no choice. I would have done the same."

Jag tipped his head in acknowledgement of his brother-in-law's assurances. Jaina, refusing to dwell on what might have been, stepped between the two men and offered a smile to each in turn. Without hesitation Jaina stole Keira from her brother's care.

"I think Tenel Ka deserves a turn."

The Hapan Queen balked initially at the proffered infant. "I really don't think I should…"

She waved her hand to ward off an overeager mother, who simply wanted share the wonders of children. As a female unsure of her own path in life, let alone the prospect of children, Tenel Ka exhibited all the awkwardness of a thin-skinned Faronan trying to juggle a hot yukrat root as the fussing mass of waving limbs landed in her arm.

Thankfully, Keira was not one to become upset about being passed from person to person. The infant settled almost instantly against Tenel Ka's breast, her head making a pillow and a small yawn forming on her lips. Keira placed one fist in her mouth lazily. Moments later the baby was contentedly sucking away, spit drooling out onto the Dathomiri skins.

Han, who had been silently observing the conversation from his seat in the recliner with Leia settled in his lap, chose to remark on the scene. "Looks to me like you are a natural, your Majesty."

The red-headed Jedi simply offered a smug glare for all to see. Jaina and Jacen, in unison, agreed. "Fact!"

After an indeterminate amount of time filled with carefree banter, the laughter and conversation began to die down. The sounds of an unsettled infant began to dominate the room. Leia, who now had managed to secure more time with her granddaughter, quickly realized that no amount of bouncing or happy whispers would placate the overly tired baby. As she looked toward Jaina, Keira loosed a powerful wail, and items in the room started to shake.

Jaina crossed the room instantly, her own powers dampening the Force tantrum erupting from her daughter. "I think someone needs to go to bed."

Leia stood, clutching Keira to her shoulder. "I would have to agree."

Jaina put her hands out and accepted her fussing daughter. The cries grew louder during the transfer. She bounced Keira gently, sparing a mournful glance to her mother. "I guess we can set the crib up in the guest bedroom with us."

Jag interrupted. "Your father and I already set up the crib when we took the luggage upstairs."

Jaina offered a grateful smile as she shushed Keira, patting her back. She turned to the others, offering a look of apology. "Duty calls."

Jacen crossed the room to be at his sister's side. He pecked a tiny kiss on Keira's forehead, eliciting another round of sobs. "We'll see you in the morning." He rubbed Jaina's shoulder affectionately, then kissed his sister on the cheek in turn.

Jaina crossed the room to where Jag was seated on a chair borrowed from the dining room. He peered up, an affectionate curl to his lips. "Do you want me to go up with you?"

Jaina shook her head side to side. "No, we've got it handled." She motioned with the flick of the head toward her mother. Jag winked knowingly.

Jaina bent down and allowed Jag to place a kiss on both Keira and herself before turning back to face her mother. "Do you want to show me the way?"

Leia tipped her head, and the three generations of Solo women made their way down the hall, Keira dominating the conversation. The act of travelling seemed to quell some of Keira's animated cries, which were trailing off to occasional whimpers. As they crossed through the foyer, a dark figure emerged from the shadows. Neither of the two women was particularly surprised by the intrusion.

Meewalh, Leia's Noghri bodyguard, tipped her head reverently. "Welcome home, Lady Jaina. You look well. May I offer congratulations on your new offspring."

Jaina smiled politely. "Thank you. I see time has been good to you as well."

"Life has treated me most kindly in light of the changing times. May I see the baby?"

Jaina lowered Keira so her mother's faithful bodyguard could examine the child. The Noghri studied the hiccoughing baby with her dark eyes, then leaned forward to sniff a waving hand. Meewalh straightened and addressed Jaina.

"She is from the line of the Mal'ary'ush." The statement was a declaration. "Again, a descendent of Lord Vader has saved my people from the grip of certain peril. Therefore, I have been instructed by the Noghri Council to offer you and your family the protection of my people out of respect for your sacrifices on their behalf and all others in the galaxy."

Jaina blushed at the sincerity of the Noghri's words. She started to respond when Leia stayed her daughter with a hand. Leia understood her daughter well enough to know she would refuse outright. Leia hoped to give her daughter enough of a cause to consider her choice carefully. Jaina swallowed after meeting her mother's concerned stare, then responded after a moment's deliberation.

"Meewalh, please thank the Noghri people for their generous offer. What I did was for the good of all, and I definitely do not want to be held on some pedestal. Neither my husband nor myself are the type who would be happy looking to others for protection. However, I do not wish to offend the Noghri by dismissing their generous offer out of hand. Perhaps, and I say this as a mother, there will be times when Keira, as a defenseless child, would benefit from another set of eyes looking out for her well-being. I will present this offer to my husband and maybe we can all come to an agreement that satisfies our concerns for Keira and your desire for retribution."

Meewalh spread her lips and offered an out-of-character toothy grin. "That would be most acceptable." She then turned to Leia. "Excuse me, Lady Vader, but I wanted to inform you of the increase of security tonight and assure you both that the house is well-guarded. I have coordinated with the Intel operatives stationed outside this evening after Lady Jaina arrived. The change should be transparent to you, other than you may all rest easy."

"I have confidence in your abilities, Meewalh." A cry from Keira interrupted the hushed conversation. A passing glance revealed to Leia that although Jaina handled the conversation with the Noghri admirably, she was becoming anxious to settle her daughter into the comforts of a quiet room. "Is that all, Meewalh?"

The Noghri nodded and bowed into the shadows, disappearing as silently as she had arrived. Leia glided up the stairs in front of Jaina, turning to speak at the top. "We put you in Padmé's old room. I hope that doesn't make you uncomfortable."

"It's perfect."

Leia crossed the threshold of the room and turned to observe Jaina's reaction. Her daughter hesitated for a second before the look of recognition washed across her face. Clutching Keira to her chest, Jaina walked deep into the room before turning slowly to survey her surroundings. Her daughter's smile made it apparent that Leia had done the room justice. Many hours had gone into painstakingly reproducing this room to the way it had been years before when Padmé had occupied it.

Jaina finally let her eyes stop at Leia. "Oh, it really is perfect." She headed for the oversized bed. "Do you think you could grab that bag?" Jaina indicated a carryall resting at the foot of the bed with a flick of her head.

Leia moved to scoop the bag off the floor as Jaina placed Keira onto the bed. She watched silently as Jaina quite matter-of-factly began stripping Keira's clothing off and changing her diaper. For the first time, Leia truly saw her daughter as the grown, responsible woman she had blossomed into. Leia swept the dirty diaper off the bed and carried it out the hall to dispose in one of the trash receptacles.

By the time Leia returned, Jaina was snapping the buttons on Keira's pink sleeper. The baby was gnawing on her fist again as her eyes blinked slowly. A contented look glazed across her sightless eyes. As Jaina scooted Keira into the center of the bed, Leia addressed her daughter.

"I guess we need to baby-proof the house. I don't have any diaper cans or any of those kind of things. I wasn't prepared…"

Jaina reached over and grasped her mother's hand. "Nor were you expected to be. I didn't mean to drop this all on you, but things happened so suddenly. Jag and I were concerned about protecting our privacy. We wanted to come home without all the trappings that are sure to follow in the next couple of days."

Leia sank down on the bed, facing Jaina. One hand caressed Jaina's cheek. "Don't get me wrong I am not complaining. Today is definitely going down as one of my favorites. I just hate being unprepared."

Jaina touched the hand on her cheek. "When you see Syal tomorrow, the two of you can discuss all the things grandmothers need in their homes. I am sure she has a list somewhere."

Leia withdrew her hand as she sensed Jaina pulling away. Not a moment later, Jaina was resting on her side, staring at Keira. Leia did likewise so that she and Jaina formed a protective barrier around the baby, now close to sleep. Jaina smiled across the bed at her mother.

"She's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen when she sleeps. I always lay down with her and watch. It's one of our special times." Leia sensed a faint tinge of regret in her words. As if knowing the questions raised in her mother's mind, Jaina continued. "I don't think I will have many more of these moments. With Keira getting older and me getting on with my career they will become fewer and farther between."

Leia placed a hand under her head as a cushion. "Yes, those are the difficult decisions and balances inherent in motherhood. I have many regrets, but just as many wonderful moments to recall."

Jaina stroked a finger lovingly across Keira's brow. "I hope I can do as good a job raising her as you did for Jace and Anakin and me."

"Well, I don't know if you could say…"

"Don't say it, because it's not true."

Leia accepted her daughter's unspoken apology and praise graciously by simply pressing a kiss to her free fingers then laying those same fingers on Jaina's lips, taking care to not disturb Keira between them.

"It was a wise thing you did just now, accepting Meewalh's offer."

"I don't know that I out and out accepted it, but I did learn from the best on being diplomatic, even if it's not my strong suit. Being a mother though does not give me the luxury of allowing pride to interfere with better judgment. I worry about her every second, about what is to come…"

"I know; believe me."

Keira let out a sigh and Jaina's expression softened to the look of one completely besotted. She whispered to her mother, "She's asleep."

Leia simply lowered her eyelids in acknowledgement. Together, the two women watched the steady rhythm of Keira's breathing for a spell. There was a peace to the room that Leia had not known for some time. She glanced from Keira to Jaina only to find her daughter's eyes drifting shut as well. Leia smiled to herself. Not more than a minute later, Jaina let out a similar sigh.

Leia whispered to the faint memory of Padmé still residing in the room, "She's asleep."

Reclining back in his seat, Han began to feel the effects of the late hour overtake his aging body shortly after Jaina and Leia disappeared upstairs. He quietly listened to the conversation that flowed between Jacen and Jag, Tenel Ka interjecting thoughts on occasion. The easy flow of words and obvious friendship between Jacen and his son-in-law piqued the older Corellian's interest.

Jaina's interest in the Chiss-trained pilot had been an enigma to Han. The best he could determine was that Jaina was looking for a man who bested her in some regards, and what Jaina really respected was good flying. Many had said over time that daughters sought men who emulated their father. However, with the exception of being a crack pilot and Corellian, Han found little more to parallel himself to the younger man.

There was no doubt Jag loved his daughter and would go to the ends of the galaxy for her, and for that Han could offer no complaints. Still he watched with some curiosity, trying to uncover the truth behind Jaina's attraction to Jag. Careful observation coupled with an unbiased evaluation began to reveal Jag the man to be a vastly different beast than Jag the pilot. He could laugh and joke right along with Jacen's playful banter, and at the same time showed an ability to express his emotions without hesitation.

Unexpectedly, Jag glanced at his wristchrono, then rose abruptly. He addressed Han foremost, but did not exclude Jacen and Tenel Ka from his apology. "If you will excuse me, it is time to put the ladies to bed."

Han furrowed his brows. "I thought that's what Jaina and Leia were doing?"

"I figure about now, Jaina is passed out on the bed with Keira next to her. Usually it would have been sooner than this, but I added another fifteen minutes for Jaina to talk to Leia before she succumbed. Motherhood can be exhausting."

Han folded the recliner back to the upright position. "Then I better go up there and steal Leia away. She is probably out like a light as well."

Jacen spoke, his eyes half-closed in concentration. "Not quite."

Han stood, patting Jag on the shoulder. "Come on, Son. Duty calls."

Jag studied his father-in-law for a silent moment before nodding his agreement. Together the men offered their goodnight's to a yawning Tenel Ka before heading to the stairs. They walked in silence along the wide hallway until reaching the doorway to the guestroom. Peering inside, Han took in the beautiful sight of Jaina curled around his tiny granddaughter as if she could shield her from the galaxy's troubles. Leia rested on her side; her eyes half-open like she was trying to stay awake for fear that the scene would dissolve in her sleep. Leia turned her gaze to the door, rolling her head lazily as she did so.

Han smiled warmly as he tiptoed across the room, whispering softly as he went. "Come on, Princess. Time for bed."

Leia lifted her body off the mattress, rubbing the back of her palm along her eyes sleepily. She reached out to accept Han's proffered hand. He tugged gently, righting his weary wife. Leia fell against Han's strength, and he happily wrapped a supportive arm around her waist as they gazed down at Jaina and Keira.

Jag slipped past, respective of their reverie and gingerly hoisted Keira into his arms. As only babies can do, she complied to the fit of his arms without even cracking an eyelid, sleep fully in control of her consciousness. A few careful and smooth strides later, Jag was beside the crib. He kissed Keira's forehead tenderly. Moments later she was lying face up in her temporary crib, her head rolled to the side with the lack of support.

Jag seemed oblivious of Leia and Han as he glided silently back to the bed. With great care he eased Jaina over so her head rested on a pillow. Leia, recognizing his intention, left Han's side to grab a throw pillow off the chair by the window. By the time Jag had his wife situated; Leia was at his side, spreading the blanket out to cover the sleeping form from shoulder to toe. Together, Jag and Leia made sure Jaina was completely secure.

Jag smoothed the hair off Jaina's forehead, kissing her softly, then snuck toward the door. Han followed with Leia in tow. The parents turned to take one last look before switching off the illumination and closing the door.

Han addressed Jag in the dimness of the hallway. "Not tired yet?"

Jag shook his head side to side once. "Not really. We are both a little anxious about Keira's safety. She will sleep better knowing I am up. It may take a couple weeks to get settled, but I am sure we will find a comfort zone at some point."

Han glanced at the blaster still on Jag's hip. "I wondered why that hadn't left your side."

Jag thumbed the weapon absent-mindedly. "Ah, yes. I suppose that would seem odd. That was really for my own protection. I was not sure how I would be received after our last conversation."

Han squinted his eyes, studying the younger man, before flashing him a trademark Solo grin. "You know, I am beginning to like you, Fel. I guess first, second and third impressions can be deceiving." Han slapped a hand on his son-in-law's shoulder. "I suppose in the long run all that matters is that you came through in the crunch. Besides anyone who can father that little princess can't be half bad."

Jag blushed, lowering his eyes, in an unusual act of embarrassment. Leia leaned forward and kissed Jag on the cheek. "Welcome to the family, Jag."

Han, not quite as comfortable as his wife with expressing sentiment to his new son, swayed from foot to foot, stuffing his hands into empty pockets. "If you are going to stay up, do you want company? Well, at least for as long as these old bones can last…"

"That would be nice."

Han nodded. "All right then. I will get Leia off to bed, and I will see you downstairs."

Jag tipped his head once in reply then strode away down the hall. Han called after him. "Hey kid."

Jag stopped and turned around. "Yes, sir?"

Han frowned momentarily at the title, then quickly banished the expression. "Does your night watch preclude a celebratory drink?"

"I don't see why it should."

"Good. I've been saving some Corellian brandy for just such an occasion."


	5. Reintroduction

**CHAPTER 4**

Happily draped over her mother's shoulder, Keira blew bubbles of drool between her lips as Jaina lightly treaded down the stairs. A short trip through the foyer and down the hall ended her in the family room. A scan of the room revealed Jag parked in front of the holonet, working quietly. He must have sensed her arrival for he glanced up and smiled.

"Good morning, my beautiful ladies."

Jaina padded across the floor in her socked feet and bent over to accept a kiss. "Mmmm. Good morning. Were you up all night?"

Jag leaned back, stretching from his hunched position before the display and casually rubbed his fingers through the day old stubble on his chin. "Yes. I did get a lot accomplished though."

Jaina lowered Keira from her shoulder, handing her to Jag's outstretched arms. He buried his face in the baby's belly and blew, making a snorting noise, which elicited a round of giggles. After that, he addressed Jaina again.

"I read up on local events, then checked on the land your mother obtained for us…" He indicated the open deed lying on the table with a tip of his head. "…and Naboo building codes, etcetera."

Jaina plopped casually in a chair near the holodisplay. "I suppose you got a builder and floor plan all picked out as well."

Jag turned his back to Jaina, reaching for a datapad. "Well actually, I found a couple…"

Jaina waved her husband off as she yawned. "Tell me about it later. No important discussions before oh-six-hundred, please. Why don't you go up and get some rest before the others get up."

Jag flipped Keira over his shoulder, rubbing between her shoulder blades in a familiar circular pattern. "Jacen and Tenel Ka are already awake. They took off out of here about thirty minutes ago on an easy run. They should be back within the hour I assume."

Jaina arched an eyebrow. "Who defined it as _short_?

Jag grinned as Keira finally released the last bit of gas gulped down during her morning meal. "What it is to be young."

"She's such a lady," Jaina replied with an equally tickled expression. "She better enjoy it now before the Princess and the Holostar get hold of her and start lessons on behavior fitting a lady."

"Ah, yes. Then she will be respectable like her mother." Jaina propped a fist on each hip. Jag quickly shifted. "As for your question, it was Tenel Ka."

Jaina chuckled. "Then don't expect them back for at least a couple of hours." She held her hands out, gesturing for Jag to hand back his daughter. "Enough time for you to get in a Chiss nap or whatever you call it. I still don't know how you can exist on so little sleep." Jaina accepted Keira into her arms, pulling the infant's back against her stomach so she was facing out, arms and legs flailing.

Jag bounced the tip of his index finger against Keira's nose, then leaned forward to peck a quick kiss on Jaina's lips. As he backed away, he had to stifle a yawn with the back of his hand. "Will you come up and wake me later?"

Jaina's grin was distinctly mischievous. "I wouldn't pass up the opportunity, especially with a house full of babysitters, eager and willing."

"We are still going to Wedge's, right?"

Jaina nodded. "Of course. I will call over in about an hour and arrange a time. Your mother is probably in Keira-withdrawal at this point, wouldn't you say?"

The corner of Jag's lips curled up subtly. "Without a doubt."

Jaina lowered to the floor, crossing her legs as she went. Keira ended in her lap. "Now go. The lady-in-making and I have some exercises to work on this morning."

Jag patted Jaina's head once before disappearing into the hall. Once alone in the peace of the dawning morning, Jaina allowed the Force to begin to flow into her, accepting it willingly. Not more than a month ago, she had found during a similar exercise that Keira was able to sense the flow even at her young age. After some careful examination, Jaina had begun to teach, for lack of a better word, Keira how to follow the flow. She hoped these early lessons would give her daughter the advantage of eventually _seeing_ without her eyes.

Jaina summoned the energy of the Force to her and allowed it to flow from her center out to Keira who was situated in a sitting position between her legs directly in line with this flow. First directing the flow through Keira and then to circulate around her head like an invisible ribbon, Jaina sensed Keira instinctively roll her head in the same direction. Moments later Keira stretched out a tiny hand, her fingers open, reaching. Jaina smiled to herself; Keira was getting faster about recognizing the energy in her mind's eye.

Jaina recalled her uncle's words from long ago when he was working with the students at the Jedi Praxeum. _"Progress is moving forward. Whether it is measured in microns or lightyears, it does not matter."_

Impressed with the progress thus far, Jaina decided to test Keira and stretch her abilities. She widened the circulation so the energy flow was encircling both herself and her daughter. Through her shut eyes, Jaina imagined the flow as a wispy stream of air. She heard Keira coo several times at the same time as she lunged forward trying to escape her mother's arms.

Jaina held firm, preventing Keira' spontaneous escape, then finally conceded to tighten the circular energy stream's radius when a profound event happened. She felt the slightest of tugs, and Jaina's eyes snapped open. Keira still held her hand out, but she was beckoning the stream to her with a curling of her fingers. Jaina closed her eyes again and allowed the flowing Force to tighten its radius until it was back within Keira's grasp. Excited gurgling confirmed that Keira was indeed exerting her own will on the Force and quite pleased with the results. Although her mother had facilitated the actual event, Keira had taken the initiative.

Jaina was beginning to release the energy flow and end the exercise when a familiar voice brought her back to reality quicker than expected. "Very impressive."

As her head whipped around, a huge smile spread across Jaina's face. "Mara!"

Mara was standing in the entrance to the family room with Luke right behind her, a half-asleep Ben snuggled against his body. "Welcome home, Jaina." Mara walked forward to meet her niece as she struggled to rise with Keira in her arms.

Jaina was immediately enveloped in a crushing embrace. Keira, smothered in the middle, protested with an undignified grunt. Mara released Jaina, but stayed close, turning her eyes to the newest member of her family. "Oh my, I sense so much of our mother's spunk already."

The older woman smiled and then tickled Keira's stomach, exposed as she sat propped on Jaina's hip. Mara studied Keira for a moment, taking her in completely with her eyes and with her Force sense. Finally, Mara lifted her gaze to stare into Jaina's eyes. "She's beautiful."

"I would have to agree, but then again I can hardly be expected to be impartial." Smiling warmly in appreciation, Jaina glanced from her aunt to Luke as he moved closer. His smile was genuine, and she noted her uncle, too, looked as happy as she felt with Ben in his arms. "Hello, Uncle Luke."

"Welcome home, Jaina." Luke leaned over and placed a warm kiss on Jaina's forehead. The proclamation settled into the depth of Jaina's very being. Home was an undefinable, unattainable possibility up until now, but suddenly the word had found new meaning in her life. She truly was home, here on Naboo, back in the arms of a family she had missed so dearly.

She, in turn, reached up with a hand, kissing her fingertips first then touching his cheek, as she returned the sentiment in an unspoken reply. Then she moved her hand over and tousled Ben's hair. Luke's eyes sparkled as the toddler yawned then shifted in his father's arms. "Hey kiddo, I haven't seen you since Borleias. My, you've grown big and handsome."

Ben buried his face in his father's sleeve, caught between a bought of shyness and the desire to be asleep.

Mara chided the toddler. "Ben Skywalker, I know you're tired, but what do you have to say to Jaina?"

Ben groaned and tried to retreat further when Mara started counting down in a firm tone. "One, two…"

Ben's head lifted reluctantly, and the tiny boy peered up with big steel-blue eyes framed with long lashes. "Hello, Jay-nah."

Mara rewarded her son with a toothy smile while she chucked his chin with her finger. "Momma's so proud of you, Ben."

Ben grinned back, bolstered by the encouragement. As Keira emitted a low gurgling noise, his attention was drawn to the sound. Ben's eyes lit up like the ocean reflecting the sun at high noon. "Baby! Is that my baby?"

Luke chuckled at the excited tone of his son's announcement. "No, that's your cousin Jaina's baby. Can you say hello to Keira?"

Ben leaned forward out of Luke's arms, spanning the distance with the utter lack of fear of a child, until he could peck a kiss on Keira's forehead. "Hello, Key-rah." Afterward he smiled up for all to see.

Jaina laughed out loud. "So how did you find out we were on Naboo?"

Mara reached over and touched Jaina on the cheek. "I felt you last night. You practically blazed in Force, but your uncle, here, in all his wisdom, said we should give you time to be with your Mom and Dad." Mara glanced over her shoulder. "For once, he was right." She faced Jaina again. "Jacen came by this morning with Tenel Ka to share the news. I figured with a wee one you had to be up by now. We were already heading out the door when he showed up."

Jaina noticed Mara's eyes would, on occasion, dart to Keira, but her aunt truly wanted to give Jaina some attention before turning her focus to the main attraction. "Well, we are all going over to Wedge's for breakfast later. I would love for you to come."

Luke spoke for the couple. "We've been busy with the upcoming dedication of the Praxeum, but we'll make time. This is truly a momentous event."

Looking to Mara, Jaina noticed her former Master was now intently studying Keira. Mara reached forward with a tentative hand to touch the child on the nose with her index finger. When Keira failed to blink, Mara waved her fingers before her face. Jaina watched quietly, letting her aunt make her own determinations. The Force exercise had obviously piqued her interest. Jaina felt Mara come to the grim realization of the truth on her own. Her uncle was not far behind.

"Well, Keira certainly favors her father in the coloring department, but I would have to say she got your looks and stubborn streak."

Jaina smiled. Grateful Mara did not use the blindness as her first impression. It was Jaina's one wish that Keira would not be considered first for her blindness. She feared the eventual tags that would be associated with her daughter – blind Jedi, blind pilot. The list went on and on.

"Do you want to hold her?"

Mara chuckled. "My palms are practically itching with the prospect."

Mara reached out with eager hands as Jaina lifted her daughter off her hip. The exchange was gentle and swift, Mara more than happy to lay Keira back against her arm and snuggle the baby to her own body. A strange look of contentment washed across Mara's face as she peered down at Keira. The baby girl was more than happy to burrow into the protection of Mara's strong, protective aura.

After a moment, Mara glanced over at Luke, who was watching with some interest. The couple exchanged a sickly sweet smile, filled with unspoken emotion. Luke had already put Ben down to run around the room, so he was free to place a hand on Mara's shoulder. He squeezed gently before addressing Jaina.

"Your daughter is strong in the Force. She has been blessed with a rare gift."

"Thanks, Uncle Luke." Jaina wiped a stray tear away from her left eye. Above all she had hoped for some affirmation of the Force potential Keira possessed. Knowing others felt the same about Keira's abilities made all things seem possible.

Mara spoke next. "It shows foresight that you are giving her every advantage despite her lack of vision."

Jaina tipped her head once then inhaled deeply before exhaling the bevy of emotions swirling around in her mind. Mara turned her attention back to Keira, but spoke to Jaina. "Every child is born perfect in their own eyes. Keira does not perceive herself as flawed."

"I know."

"So what's with all the sadness?"

"I don't want others to see her as handicapped or less than perfect."

Luke spoke to both women. "That is fear speaking, and unfortunately fear is a part of being a parent. It's what you do with it that matters. She is a perceptive child; Keira will look to you for affirmation that she is not less than whole."

Jaina shook her head as if to banish the negativity that had built up. She huffed finally. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I have been so okay with this. So has Jag. It wasn't until we came back that all these emotions surfaced."

Mara grinned. "It doesn't help with all those post-partem emotions swirling around either, hmmm?"

Both women giggled. "No, it doesn't," Jaina replied.

A strange satisfied grin replaced the previously light-hearted grin on Mara's face. "I thought as much. Hormones have a way of making you into an unrecognizable beast."

Luke coughed suddenly. Jaina furrowed her brows slightly. It was then that she noticed the happy glow surrounding her aunt and an equally satisfied emotion blaring in the bond with Luke. Jaina grinned mischievously. "Is there something you need to tell me?"

Mara glanced up at Luke, then back to Keira before letting out a soft sigh. "I suppose it's time to spill the news. Your uncle and I are expecting to be blessed with a baby as precious as yours within the next six months."

Jaina's hands instinctively flew to her mouth, stifling a gleeful shriek. "Blaster bolts, there's babies popping up everywhere!"

Jaina flung herself into her uncle and placed a wet kiss on his cheek before turning her embrace to Mara. Taking care not to crush Keira, the two women hugged and laughed and cried for what seemed like a timeless spell until a voice broke through the celebration.

"What's all the fuss about? You would think no one had seen Jaina in a year or something."

Jaina turned still holding onto Mara with one arm, but now facing the disruption as she stood between her aunt and uncle. Han and Leia were arm in arm just inside the room dressed casually in morning robes. Her father's head was a ruffled mess while her mother's hair was, as usual, tamed in a loosed braid. The sudden tension in Mara's body told Jaina that she was the first to know.

Before anyone could react, Ben, who had been silently exploring the room up until now, trotted across the room, heading for Han. "Uncle Hannie!"

Han swept the boy up in a wide arc and deposited him against his chest. "How's my favorite nephew?"

Ben grinned. "Good. I know why everyone is so happy. Do you?"

Han chuckled. "Of course, everyone is happy that Jaina is home, and your mom and dad are happy to finally meet Keira."

The boy rolled his eyes. "No silly. Mama's happy 'cause she's going to make a Key-rah."

Unloading all the baby necessities from the speeder in front of the Antilles' home seemed to be an unending affair to Leia as she watched Jaina supervise Jag and Han. If not for the supplies, the distance between the two homes would have been an easy walk. Even with twins, Leia never recalled ever needing this much paraphernalia. Finally, with both men loaded down with bags, portable baby furnishings and toys, they marched up the steps, one by one. Arriving first, Leia rang the door chime as the others continued up after her, slowed by the weight of their burdens.

The door slid open to reveal a beaming Wedge Antilles. "Good morning, Leia. It's a fine morning for a welcome home party."

Leia accepted a quick kiss to her cheek before stepping into the spacious entranceway to Wedge's house as he beckoned her inside. "Please, come in." Wedge immediately turned his attention to the others. "Jaina, welcome to our home." He kissed Jaina in turn, after placing a loving palm on Keira's head as it rested against Jaina's shoulder. "And how is the newest Rogue pilot-to-be?"

Jaina's eyes met Leia's, and for one moment Leia thought Jaina would choke on her response. Leia offered Jaina an encouraging brush in the Force, and her daughter responded with a toothy smile and an equally biting remark. "You never know, Keira may want to fly a clawcraft like her dad."

"Who's going to fly my clawcraft?" Jag's voice was filled with a light tone that Leia was unaccustomed to hearing from her son-in-law, but she had to admit it was a refreshing change.

Wedge laughed out loud. "Apparently your daughter, but I think us old snubfighter pilots will have something to say about it first." The older man eyed his nephew. "Quite an armful there, Jag. Why don't you put it down in the corner over there." Wedge gestured to a vacant corner of the entranceway by the stairs.

Jag complied with a curt tip of his head, slipping past the gathering to settle his cargo onto the floor. Han offered a smug smirk to Wedge as he too slid past with his arms full of toys and a portable playpen. When they were finally free of their burdens, both Han and Jag shook hands with Wedge before he spoke to the group.

"I had been told we are to expect more guests." Wedge glanced at the still open door, apparently waiting for the next wave.

Leia tipped her head. "Jacen and Tenel Ka are cleaning up after their run took longer than expected, and Luke and Mara are on their way with Ben."

After shutting the door, Wedge motioned for them to follow as he took the lead down the hall. "Great. The more the merrier as far as I'm concerned. Rane's been here all night, and we are expecting Tahiri later." He led the group around a bend in the hall, which then opened into a large kitchen. "Ladies, look who's here."

Iella and Syal turned around in unison, their smiles drenched with some amusement seen usually only on children cooking up a wicked scheme. Both women wore casual day dresses; Iella in yellow, looking stunning, with her hair tied up in a ponytail, Syal, equally as beautiful, in blue with her hair cascading down like rays of golden sunshine.

Syal crossed the room with impeccable grace and a holostar smile lighting her face. Even in the throes of making breakfast for over a dozen, she still looked to Leia like a model of composure as she wrapped Jaina and Keira in a combined hug, then kissed each in turn as she proclaimed, "Oh, I missed my girls so much."

Syal wiped her hands on the apron tied over her clothes to keep them tidy. "Can I hold my Princess Keira for a few minutes?" She held her hands out, as if to emphasize the question.

Jaina laughed as she passed Keira to Syal. "Suffering from Keira-withdrawal already?"

Leia noted the relaxed demeanor of her granddaughter once she was buried under a barrage of kisses and whispered adorations from her other grandmother. The baby reached out to place a knowing hand on the woman's lips and chin at the same time as her other hand clutched a strap of the apron.

Jag eased into the picture, wrapping one arm around Jaina while placing a kiss on his mother's cheek. "Nice to know where we stand now that you have Keira to spoil."

Syal spared her son a glance, a mischievous twinkle in her eye. She pecked a kiss back. "You will always be my baby, but with this one I don't have to imagine."

The other new arrivals, including Leia, finally caught the former holostar's attention, because her face lit up in a welcoming smile. As Syal crossed the kitchen toward the new guests, Leia eased forward to meet her halfway. "It's good to see you, Syal."

The two women kissed cheeks. "It's nice to be back." Syal leaned over to offer a cheek to Han as he bent around his wife to greet their host. "Hello, Han."

"My, my, Syal. I must say, you still look like you could be in holos. There must be something said for that Csilla air because my little girl has the same healthy glow."

"Well, I do not know if you can say I have quite the youthful appearance that Jaina has, but…"

"Just calling it like I see it."

She flashed him a stunning grin, white teeth shining in the light. "Why Han Solo, I do believe you have not lost your considerable Corellian charm."

Sparing a glance at her husband, Leia was amazed to see him blush.

Syal's attention quickly turned back to Keira, who was starting to fuss a little. "There, there, Nana's princess. I know, I wasn't paying enough attention to my little bug."

Leia was amazed at the profound effect that Syal's voice had on the infant. Then she realized that Syal had spent almost as much time with their mutual granddaughter as Jaina and Jag had over the last several months.

The grandmothers made eye contact at the same time, then Syal queried Leia. "So what do you think about being a grandmother so far?"

Leia offered a warm smile. "I haven't had as much time to get used to the idea as you obviously have, but I must say it has its advantages like…"

Syal spoke in unison with Leia, almost as if she could read her mind. "Having a baby to hold again." Both women laughed.

"Exactly. She is a wonderful baby, isn't she?"

"That's because she has a wonderful mother." Leia glanced to Jaina, who blushed as Syal bestowed the comment on her.

Wedge's voice interrupted. "I believe, Sister, you should share the wealth."

A trickling laughter filtered from Syal's lips as she winked at her brother. "Jealous are you, little Brother?"

"Who wouldn't be?"

Syal bypassed Leia and held Keira out to Wedge. Scooping her into his arms, he treated the baby as reverently as a man carrying the most precious of cargos. "Watch her head," Syal reminded her brother.

"I think I have done this a few times." Wedge shot his sister a non-too-kind expression to which she responded with a wink.

"Oh shoo," the blonde-haired beauty flapped her hands. "Take her away before I can't think of what I am cooking, and your wife is stuck baking alone."

Wedge gestured with his head for the others to follow. Jag walked next to his uncle, looking on intently at Keira's antics. The two men fell into an easy banter. The tug on her hand told Leia that her husband wanted her to follow. She started to walk with her husband, glancing back to make sure Jaina was coming. Leia paused at the sight of Syal and Jaina, arms around each other's waists, heading for the other side of the kitchen. Their heads were dipped together as if they were sharing a secret.

A second tug reminded Leia she was meant to be moving her feet. Leia turned to offer a polite but decidedly forced smile to her husband of many years. He squinted his eyes in a discerning moment, then looked past her as Jaina broke into giggles with Syal not far behind. Iella quickly added to the laughter, setting a pan out of the food-heating unit onto the counter next to the excited pair. Han pursed his lips before returning his gaze to Leia.

He flashed a half of a smile. "Come on. Let's get out of here, huh? There will be plenty of Jaina to go around." Leia peeked one more time at the scene before tipping her head to Han. He grasped her hand tightly and squeezed once firmly. "Besides, this means more time with our granddaughter. Wedge can't have her all the time."

As the gathering of family and friends drifted from the dining area back to the living room of the Antilles' home, Rane picked his way through the crowd, for that was the only word to describe the myriad of well-wishers present to welcome his brother and wife back to Naboo. After a good deal of side-slipping and dodging, Rane was close enough to grab Tahiri by the elbow. Her hair flipped around as she spun to face him, and a bright smile crossed her lips.

"Hey." Tahiri's face was one of utter satisfaction and contentment.

As she turned to face Rane, the reason why became apparent. Cuddled in her arms, his niece rested lazily against Tahiri's chest, half a tiny hand consumed by a gnawing mouth, drool pouring forth freely. Amazingly, seeing Tahiri find fulfillment holding a baby in her arms did not make him squirm, not even in the least, but based on the feelings he had come to grips with over the last couple of months, that did not surprise him.

"Hi. Can I steal you away from the lady of the hour?" Rane bent closer to Keira and addressed the baby girl as if she would understand him. "I beg your pardon, but I have yet to have a moment alone with my girl all morning, Miss Keira."

Tahiri giggled, the sound as refreshing as a light morning rain. She held her ear toward Keira, apparently waiting for a response. After a moment, Tahiri flashed her green eyes back to Rane. "I have been dismissed."

Turning back to Winter and Iella, who had watched the exchange with some degree of amusement, Tahiri cast a questioning glance. Two pairs of hands popped out simultaneously. All the women laughed at the predicament before Iella spoke.

"Go ahead, Winter. I have had my shot with the little lady. You need some quality bonding time with your namesake before Jaina or Jag comes back to steal her."

Tahiri slipped Keira away from the warm protection of her body. "It's not the parents you have to worry about, but rather Grandpa Solo. He has positively monopolized her all morning."

Winter carefully balanced Keira in her arms, supporting the loose head and neck with an open palm. "Well, Iella and I still know a few evasive maneuvers from the old days. We may be able to shake him for a while." She winked to Tahiri. "Run along, you two. These two old spies have it covered here."

Tahiri reached back, grabbing Rane's hand blindly. He wrapped it protectively in his own, tugging as he headed toward the kitchen. Rane picked up the pace as his excitement grew that he would finally have a quiet moment with Tahiri. Ever since she arrived with Tenel Ka and Jacen earlier, he had not found one moment to talk to her in private. There was a pressing matter he had wanted to share with Tahiri since the night before, but the arrival of Jaina and Jag had put his plans on hold more than once. The longer he had to wait the more anxious Rane became about the actual conversation.

Passing through the kitchen, Rane headed for the large open viewport that was protected only by a weak magcon field to allow for thermal regulation and granted a great unobstructed view of the surrounding cityscape and access to the intimate patio behind the house. Together, the couple passed through the harmless magcon field, walking into the refreshing morning air. The sounds of nearby waterfalls created a carefree atmosphere as Rane led Tahiri to the small bench hidden in a garden-bed of Corellian roses.

He politely helped Tahiri take a seat on one end, then stepped over, pivoted and sat down next to her. Once seated Rane took both Tahiri's hands, studying the shape of her fingers around his own for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. After a moment, he lifted his eyes up to meet Tahiri's expectant gaze. Her green eyes sparkled with excitement.

"What?"

"Can't a guy want to spend time with his girl?" Not quite ready to break straight into his spiel, Rane dodged the question initially.

"Your girl – is that what I am?" Tahiri arched an eyebrow seductively.

Instead of answering, Rane leaned into her and placed his lips on Tahiri's. She instantly responded by returning the kiss. Rane was going for tender; Tahiri wanted something more. Her mouth opened, beckoning him in. Rane allowed himself a taste and nothing more, then retreated. He reminded himself that he needed to stay focused on the task at hand. Distractions had already run his plans amuck today, there was little time left for dallying.

As Rane pulled away, he noticed a small pout turn Tahiri's lips around from her beautiful smile. "Of course, you are my girl." A wicked glint flashed in his eye. "Or maybe woman would be more appropriate. I would not want to offend your feminine pride."

"None taken." Tahiri paused, taking Rane's appearance in. She must have sensed the agitation he had harnessed so carefully throughout the day. Tahiri was always good at reading him that way. "What is it, Rane?"

Rane noticed the tightening of her grip instantly around his hands. Wanting to allay his insecurities and her fears he raised their hands up, bending to kiss her knuckles. "I have something to tell you. It's not bad; as a matter of fact it's really good news." He paused. "I think; at least in the fact that it made me think about a lot of things and put my life into perspective."

"Okay." She still appeared somewhat mystified, but open.

He took that as a good sign. "I have been thinking a lot about where I want to be five, ten years from now, and I have come to some realizations…"

"Raaaane!"

The interruption was a blessing and a curse. The latter fact causing him to utter an indecent swear word silently before turning his eyes to the voice. Tumbling through the magcon field, his little sister, Briaun, was a hurtling mass of ever-growing limbs. His sister looked every inch of the awkward teenager as she ran in his direction. Briaun was destined to be his mother's height, but her current gangly stage hid all the promise of the beauty yet to come.

Reluctantly, Rane dropped Tahiri's hands and stood just in time to scoop his little sister into a hug. Even though she was closer to adulthood than childhood, Briaun jumped into his arms like she were still the toddler he and Jag left behind every semester to head for the academy. He had to tighten his back and brace a foot to balance for the momentum he absorbed.

After sharing kisses, Rane returned Briaun to the ground. Before he could say a proper hello, his sister was offering an equally enthusiastic embrace to Tahiri, whose green eyes stared up questioningly to him, as she returned the hug. After a moment, Briaun released Tahiri and backed away, staring at the couple.

"Wow! Look at the two of you – a couple finally. I can't believe it."

Rane could not help but laugh at his sister's blunt pronouncement. "And why's that?"

"Well considering all the attraction that was there and the lack of action on Csilla, I was beginning to wonder about you two."

Tahiri turned to Rane; he, in turn, eyed Tahiri back. They laughed simultaneously before Tahiri answered for the both of them. "Some of the best things in life are allowed to mature and grow slowly. Better a lifetime of heat than a flash that burns you."

Rane wrapped an arm around Tahiri and squeezed her to him. He could not have said it better. Briaun however was unimpressed. She simply rolled her eyes. "You Jedi are all a little weird if you ask me. Jaina is always doing that, spewing off strange philosophical quotes. If it wasn't for those cool lightsabers, I would have to call you as a group on the odd side."

Rane furrowed his brows, offering his sister an intimidating stare. "Here for five minutes, and you are already insulting the woman I love. Maybe you better go back to Csilla. Mother said they gave you the choice to finish out at the Academy. It might do you some good."

Briaun waved him off with her hand, flashing a flippant smile at the same time. "You know I love Jaina and Tahiri both. They get what I am saying. As a matter of fact, Jaina and I talk about it all the time. It's like, 'Hey, great, I have got all these neat powers, so I have to try to be sage and wise, when all I really want to do is spar and use my telekinesis.'" Briaun eyed Tahiri. "Right?"

Tahiri nodded once. "I couldn't have said it better."

Briaun grabbed Tahiri by the hand. "You have to come inside and see my father. We just got back…"

Tahiri glanced over her shoulder at Rane as Briaun tugged her toward the door, bantering away aimlessly as she went. She mouthed the word sorry as she acquiesced to the girl's pull. All Rane could do was shrug and smile then pray for a moment of peace and quiet with Tahiri soon, or he was sure he would burst.

"No Gyrol'piron, you will just have to deal with the disgruntled representative from New Joranta on your own."

The blue-skinned Twilek's eyes widened considerably, easily detectable even on the small holodisplay in Wedge's office. "But your Highness, Representative Thajor insists that you settle this matter…"

Leia snapped. "Gyrol'piron, I don't think Mister Thajor has enough weight to insist I do anything. His lack of coordination earlier within the ranks of the Land Bureau are not my concern. Tell him to go back through the correct channels and stop trying to use the Governor's Office as a quick route to his personal gains. Now, I am going to spend the day with my daughter and new grandchild. Don't call me back unless the Emperor shows up with a new Death Star."

The twitching lekku of the Twilek indicated the Minister of Land's agitation. He opened his mouth to respond, but Leia cut him off with a curt dismissal. "If that's all, I will see you tomorrow morning when I return to work. Good day."

Slapping off the display without allowing her staff member the benefit of a response, Leia fell against the table, bearing down with the full force of her weight onto her palms. It required several deep breaths to return Leia to a state of calm. She had a hard time rectifying her agitated state with the events in her life. Jaina was home; everything was back to how Leia hoped it would be. Still, something deep down was bothering her.

Forcing a smile, she straightened her dress and squared her shoulders. Leia glided across the room and swiped her hand across the door control. The door slid open to reveal the gay revelers crowding the Antilles' living room. Breakfast was over and groups lounged around enjoying some late morning relaxation after filling their stomachs with a great Corellian meal. The mood was more indicative of a holiday.

Scanning the room, Leia caught the eye of her sister-in-law. Mara flashed a smile and beckoned for Leia to join her and Ben in a corner. Traversing the room, she noted Han, Soontir, Wedge and Tycho surrounding Jaina; the men seemed captivated with Jaina's lively bantering. A wistful grin crossed Leia's lips as she imagined they were all discussing the new ship Jag had given Jaina for their anniversary.

"Have you saved Naboo from the ravages of bureaucracy once again, Governor Solo?"

Leia, now at her destination, glanced down at Mara's teasing green eyes. "For today." The former princess forgot her royal upbringing momentarily as she flopped into the chair next to Mara.

Leia tried to avoid Mara's discriminating gaze to no avail. She sheepishly turned to offer a pursed pair of lips and furrowed brow. Mara's features held no judgment, only concern. Ben snaked out of his mother's arms and crawled over to Leia's chair. The toddler pulled on his aunt's skirt. Looking away from Mara, Leia eyed the tiny man, so much of Luke apparent in his innocent blue-eyed stare.

"Aunt Lee-Lee, are you okay?"

Leia forced a smile. "Now that I have you I am."

She scooped her nephew up and settled him onto her lap. The boy fell comfortably against Leia's chest as she wrapped her arms around him. Leia showered the boy with a string of kisses as he giggled in protest. It was not long before both were overcome with laughter.

The boy ended his happy fit first and donned a serious look as if to tell Leia he was not entirely convinced. "Did those twits down at the Gobernor's office make you mad again? Momma says they need to be strung up…"

"Ben Skywalker!"

Ben turned a questioning gaze to his mother. "What?"

Both Mara and Leia shared a silent chuckle at the boldness inherent in young children. Offense was not a concept they were capable of perceiving. Jaina, too, had been one to mimic her parents at every turn. Leia could remember more than one occasion her daughter had shared Leia's opinions with unsuspecting victims to everyone's embarrassment. There was no way to scold the little brown-eyed vixen then and Mara found the same true now.

"First off, what Mama says is not necessarily for everyone else's ears. Second, it's _governor,_ not _gobernor_. Got it?"

Ben's smile was sweeter than fizz pudding. "Gov-er-nor." He emphasized the sound of the letter 'v' to make his point.

"Great job, Bennie." Mara cocked an eyebrow to Leia. "He conveniently bypassed the first point."

Leia chuckled. "He has the making of a fine bureaucrat."

Mara's scowl was enough to send both women into a fit of laughter. The howls of an enraged baby ended their happy moment. Leia spun in her chair to see Jacen running into the room, holding Keira at arms' length. Keira was throwing her arms and legs in a fit of outrage. Jacen's face was one of sheer terror. He headed straight for Jaina.

"She needs a change I think." He wrinkled his nose in protest of some perceived noxious smell.

Jaina escaped the circle of fellow pilots to cross the room. She plucked Keira from her brother's outstretched arms; her face offering some clue to her barely contained mirth. Jaina folded Keira against her chest and soothed her hand across the baby's back. "It's okay my darling. It's not your fault Uncle Jacen has no baby-sense what so ever."

She cast Jacen a disparaging glare. "You can't allow your offense to her predicament enter your outer layers. Keira perceives everything, subtle and obvious."

Jacen blushed. "Sorry. I just didn't know it could smell so…"

"And I suppose yours smells like Calamarian lilies?"

A piercing glare from Jaina silenced the rest of Jacen's reply as a series of snickers came from the group of older pilots nearby. Jaina cast the group of men a disparaging sneer before addressing her host.

"Wedge, is there a room I can borrow for an hour or so?"

"Certainly, you can use our bedroom."

Jaina forced an appreciative nod in his direction, all the while comforting Keira by mildly bouncing the baby in her arms. "Mom, can you grab my bag?"

Leia rose from her chair and started to reply, when another voice came from the kitchen area. "Sure dear. Where is it?"

Syal stood framed in the doorway with a dishtowel in hand. Jag appeared behind her. Noticing Keira's state, he sidled past his mother as Jaina responded.

"I think it's over in the corner by the front hall." She indicated the general direction with a tip of her head.

The bag was within feet of Leia. She hopped the couple of steps and scooped the bag in her hand. "I got it, honey."

Syal stopped in her tracks, blushing as Leia traveled in her counterpart's direction. "Sorry, Leia. I didn't mean to step on your toes."

Leia paused by Syal to offer a quaint smile. "It's fine. I was hoping to spend some quiet time with Jaina and Keira. Maybe I will have my chance now."

Syal placed a hand on Leia's forearm before she could walk off. She whispered discreetly, trying to keep the volume of her voice low enough so the others would not hear. "Leia, if you were hoping to stay while Jaina nursed Keira, you might reconsider. It's her special time. She gets anxious when others are around."

Leia smiled appreciatively. "I am sure that applies to most, but I am her mother."

Syal tipped her head respectively. "Of course, I am sure you are right."

Leia dismissed herself with a polite dip of the head and found her way to Jaina who was taking directions to the master bedroom suite from Wedge. Leia wrapped her arm around her daughter possessively.

"I'll show her, Wedge."

With a gentle nudge, Leia ushered Jaina and her protesting daughter toward the stairs at the front of the house. Syal and Myri scampered past in the hall, offering a polite greeting, but more interested in reaching their intended destination. Jaina continued to try to console Keira as they mounted the stairs in step. At the top of the staircase, Leia took the lead, switching the heavy bag from one shoulder to the next when the strap began to dig painfully into her shoulder.

"Let me take that for you, Leia." Glancing over her shoulder, Leia spotted Jag hurrying to catch up.

Graciously she offered the bag to her son-in-law, then proceeded the last stretch of the hall to Wedge and Iella's master suite. Jag strode across the room to the bed and set the baby supply bag down on the green and white comforter. Leia watched in an awkward silence as Jag retrieved all the items necessary to change Keira's diapers and set them on the bed. Jaina paced the floor like a caged nexu, trying to comfort the inconsolable infant.

Leia caught Jaina in mid-pass and offered a comforting palm to the baby's forehead and a sympathetic smile for Jaina. "It will be just a minute and Daddy will have everything ready for you, sweetheart."

Jaina's attempt to grin came out closer to a grimace as Keira howled even louder, and with more vehemence than before. A second later, Jag's voice sounded from behind. "Ready."

The relief on Jaina's face washed across like a breaking wave. She broke past Leia, offering the now kicking and screaming infant to her father. Unlike Jaina, who seemed to fret at the antics of her baby, Jag was the picture of composure to Leia. With the tenderness one would never have thought possible, the seasoned fighter pilot, the same man who rose to Colonel by the age of twenty, eased Keira onto the bed and started to change her diaper.

"Can I help?"

Jag glanced back at Leia to cast an appreciative smile. "Sure, can you grab one of those disposal bags out of the outer pocket of the bag?"

Leia obliged him, gripping the corner of a disposal bag and tearing it out of the carryall. She held it out as Jag quickly tossed the offending diaper and accompanying wipes, then tied off the top when he was done. Walking to the refresher, it took Leia a second to find the trash unit and deposit her package.

As Leia returned to the main room, the subsiding of Keira's cries was apparent. Jag was walking across the room to a small sitting couch set off in a lone corner of the room. It usually afforded a view over the cityscape, but Jaina was drawing the blinds. Leia retrieved the carryall from the bed and carried it over to the couch.

Jaina offered a grateful turn-up of her lips. "Thanks, Mom." Then she accepted Keira from Jag, both mother and baby were somewhat more content than earlier. Although Leia thought she noticed a small bead of agitation still boiling off her daughter.

Leia settled onto the couch. "Are you going to feed her now? She seems hungry."

Jaina sat down on the opposite end, placing Keira face up between the crook of her legs. "Yes."

Leia studied Jaina as she fiddled around with her bag, pulling items out she would need. At one point Jaina cast a glance up to Jag, to which he offered a subtle wink. As Jaina continued to fiddle with different pieces, still making no move to nurse, Keira began to emit weak cries. By now, point Leia got the distinct impression she truly was not wanted.

Rising abruptly, Leia dismissed herself. "Well, I shouldn't be rude to the other guests. I will leave you to some private bonding time."

Jaina hardly offered her mother more than a nod, but began quickly unbuttoning her shirt as Leia stepped away. Pivoting on her heel, Leia fled the room, stopping only to close the door behind her. Halfway down the hall, Jag's voice called out.

"Leia."

She turned to face her son-in-law. His long strides brought him face to face with her in a matter of seconds, giving Leia little time to refresh her regal face and hide away the obvious disappointment in her heart. Jag's eyes gazed down with a genuine concern behind them.

"I do not want you to take Jaina's attitude back there personally. She did not have the heart to ask you to leave, but nursing really is her special time with Keira, especially now that she is weaning her. Soon work and real life will make nursing simply impractical." He smirked to himself. "I think Jaina only lets me stay because I am the father. Otherwise I would be outside looking in as well."

Leia placed her small hand on Jag's upper arm. "It's fine. I just can't help wanting to spend time with Jaina and Keira. Your mother warned me. I should have listened; she's been around more than I have recently. She would know better."

Jag's shoulders heaved in obvious relief. "So you are fine. I did not want you to go away feeling you were being dismissed…"

Leia moved her hand up to Jag's cheek. "I'm fine. Go be with your wife and baby."

Jag placed his hand over Leia's. "Thank you."

"No. Thank you, Jag. The Force was looking out for Jaina when it stuck you two together. I have no doubt of that. She is lucky to have someone like you."

"No, I think you have it all wrong. I am the truly lucky one."

Leia stretched up on her toes and pecked a kiss on Jag's free cheek, then disappeared down the hall. Rounding the stairs, Leia shuffled halfway down then stopped in her tracks. Despite Jag's comforting words, Leia still felt pushed away. Her hand came to her chest as she fell against the solid support of the wall. She stood there for a moment, gathering her wits before straightening her shoulders.

Descending the last few steps, Leia could make out the raucous laughter in the living room. Not in the mood to force a smile, she snaked along the hallway and slipped into the kitchen, hoping to find herself alone. To her dismay, Syal stood by the heating unit, tending to a steaming pot.

The former holostar noticed Leia immediately. "Leia, do you need anything? Or Jaina?"

Leia shook her head side to side once, regretting now that she could not have simply escaped into oblivion. "No, Jaina is fine." Leia glanced down momentarily, then met Syal's silent blue eyes. "You were right. She obviously enjoys her time alone with Keira."

Syal tipped her head knowingly at the same time as she beckoned to the small kitchen table. "How about some tea? I know I am overwhelmed right now with all the pilot gab going on out there."

Leia nodded as she moved to the table. She gracefully settled into a seat as Syal poured two mugs of tea. Very carefully, the blonde woman glided to the table, setting both mugs down one for Leia and one for herself by an empty seat. Leia wrapped both hands around the warm cup, absorbing the warmth as they sat in silence.

Syal picked up her mug and blew the steam away, then sipped. She finally met Leia's stare. "This is Jaina's special time with Keira. Don't take it personally. I think they commune on some higher plane. It is a beautiful thing to be able to share that kind of bond."

"That's what Jag said."

Syal's eyes shone brightly at the mention of her son's name. "Well, he is the smart one, so you should listen to him. Jag talked to me once about it. He thinks Jaina has spent so much of her life destroying things that Keira is her chance to bring life to the world – kind of like her redemption. Does that make sense?"

"Mmmm-huh." Leia nodded through a sip of the scalding tea. She set down the cup and met Syal's gaze. "I need to apologize. I dismissed you earlier when I should have listened. That was rude on my part."

Syal's hand settled on Leia's. "No, you simply wanted to be with your daughter. How can that be rude?"

Leia blushed. "It is when you are being petty and jealous."

Syal squeezed Leia's hand. "Oh, Leia. What do you have to be jealous of?"

"You and Jaina. I saw you two together acting like best friends, and it turned my gut. To see you with Keira and how she responds to you makes me as green as Jag's eyes with envy." Leia heaved a sigh. "I know that's awful, but it's true."

Syal chuckled. "And here all along I was intimidated by Jaina's relationship with you. Aren't we a pair?"

Leia shot Syal a quizzical glance, one eyebrow arched higher than the other. "What do you mean?"

"Well, for instance. Here you are former Chief of State, super-mom in Jaina's estimation. Jaina was always running around the house on Csilla saying, 'If only Mom were here, she would know what to do.' Who am I, but I lowly housewife?"

Leia grasped Syal's other hand in hers, peeling it off the mug. "Oh, but you are so beautiful, and a famous actress, and so tall. I feel like I can never measure up." Leia paused. "Did she really say that?"

Syal laughed. "All the time." She gathered Leia's hand to her. "Oh Leia, she missed you so much. All during the delivery, she talked about feeling you, but it still wasn't the same. Jaina may be her father's daughter, but she's you in the most important ways. She has your strength and passion and courage – and your love. Jag told me your mother was the Queen of Naboo. He said the day Jaina delivered Keira, he saw that nobility shine forth in Jaina. She was so brave, hardly a peep from her for all the drama and pain that precious Keira inflicted on Jaina to get out. Jag fell in love with her all over again, those were his exact words. Jaina is royalty – as noble and true as you are."

"Thank you." A tear strolled down Leia's cheek. "Was it hard on her? The delivery, that is?"

"In true Jaina fashion she toughed it out. I was worried there at the end that she would not have the strength after all she had been through already, but she dug it out of some corner." Syal leaned forward. "I will let you in on a secret. They are already talking about trying for another. It won't be long before we have a whole houseful of little Jaina girls and Jag boys to hug and spoil."

The two women broke into a comfortable laughter as Leia remarked. "I can't wait for that."

"Neither can I."


	6. The Kiss

**CHAPTER 5**

"Just a couple more."

Rane flashed a smile in Tahiri's direction despite the fact that his arms were overloaded with tableware and dishes from the dining room table. She turned away to reach for the last remaining item, and returned with a grin that was nothing less than electric as she stacked the last soiled plate precariously atop his load.

"You are enjoying this too much."

"I like seeing you try to be domestic."

Rane furrowed his brows in mock defiance. Tahiri knew full well he was not one for participating in playing maid. The only reason he had agreed to stay and help Iella clean the mounds of dishes was that Tahiri had graciously offered her assistance, and he knew that she knew that fact. Rane figured his best shot at getting some time alone would be while the others had taken a ride over to the base for a tour of the _Amidala's Legacy_. Plenty of time later, he figured, to see Jaina's ship up close and personal.

Tahiri flapped her hands at him. "Go on, before you drop them all."

Rane moved his feet cautiously, making the slow turn to face the kitchen. He halted in mid-turn. "What exactly are you carrying?"

"I'm going to make sure you don't drop any of those dishes. Sometimes being a Jedi can be very handy."

Rane arched an eyebrow. "You don't say?"

Fighting a momentary blush, Tahiri waved her hands again. "Rane Fel, you have a one track mind."

Rane winked before facing the kitchen entrance. With great care, he maneuvered between the threshold, moving slowly as his vision was severely limited by the cumbersome pile in his possession. His mother came into view, scurrying across the kitchen with a frown of admonishment in her usually happy features.

"Rane, be careful with Iella's fineware. I cannot believe you would be so careless as to carry all this at once."

He started to protest. "But…"

Tahiri interrupted from behind and, ever the gentleman, Rane allowed her to talk. "I tried to tell him that, Syal, but you know men…"

Rane spun, his armload making the motion exaggerated to the point of being comical, like he was an overstuffed Bantha. He managed to sputter some nonsense, "You…but…I never…" before his mother superceded his protest.

"Rane, for Force's sake, come here, and put that stuff in the sink before you drop it all."

Rane managed a scathing glare aimed at Tahiri, which she tactfully dodged with a charming smile and seductive wink. He groaned, rolling his eyes, before turning toward the sink. Tahiri was not far behind, for she got to his side before he had a chance to unload his burden. A moist pair of teasing lips wet his neck in a skillfully applied kiss near his pulse point as she reached to remove the last plate added, still balancing perilously.

Rane remained motionless, only his eyes moving to watch Tahiri as she removed the stack piece by piece. Every once in a while, she would catch his eye and smile. The subtle up-turn of Rane's mouth was only on the side she could see, hidden from any one else's view. Paired with the mischievous glint in his eye, it had the desired effect of causing her porcelain skin to heat with a blush. Tahiri glanced away bashfully just as Soontir strode into the kitchen.

Syal greeted her husband. "Tired of reading communiqués already?"

Soontir was beaming from ear to ear. "Not exactly. I just read something very exciting..." Soontir turned to face his son; Rane's gut turned over and twisted into a knot instantly, fear causing a distasteful bile to rise from deep within him. "…about Spike Squadron. I assume Rane was trying to be modest and not overshadow our arrival, but I wish you would have said something earlier, Son."

Rane practically dropped the rest of the dishes in the sink with a thunderous clatter. "Really, Father, I don't think now…"

"Is a good time? Sure it is. No reason to be modest over the fact that Spikes have been offered the position to represent the Chiss contingent in the New Coruscant Protective Force. You have worked hard to return Spike Squadron to its once glorious…"

The rest was lost to the ringing in Rane's ears, only to be eclipsed by the crashing of a dish into the sink. Dread had a silent but painful grip on his heart as Rane turned to face Tahiri. The blush of a moment ago was gone, replaced by a ghostly white pallor. Her eyes glistened over widened pupils, and her mouth was silently parted in an unspoken gasp. When their eyes met, Rane could only imagine the horror she felt – an unwarranted horror.

He grabbed Tahiri's arms, perceiving her slipping away as her green eyes shuttered, closing him off. "It's not how it…"

Tahiri was shaking her head, refusing to listen. There was nothing Rane could do when she skillfully applied a countermove to his grip and stepped back.

"Tahiri…please listen."

Rane cursed her Jedi abilities as she spun, blocking him momentarily with an invisible wall. It did not fall until after her fleeing backside disappeared from the room. All Rane could do in the mean time was shoot his father an accusatory stare.

"What?" The Baron threw his hands up. "What did I say?"

Rane did not even bother to answer, rather bolted toward the front door. He heard his mother admonish his father as he left. "Really, 'Tir. Don't you think there might be another reason he did not bother…" The rest was lost as Rane swung right at the end of the hall.

Skidding across the polished floor of the entranceway, he managed to catch the door halfway closed. A quickly placed hand ensured the safety feature on the door would force it back open. Rane was out the door as soon as his broad shoulders could squeeze through. Bounding down the steps, Rane looked right, finding nothing he spun his head in the opposite direction.

"Tahiri!"

The bouncing silky blonde curls continued their retreat.

"Tahiri, wait! Let me explain!"

She was pulling away as Rane broke into a run after her. It would be only a matter of moments before Tahiri would break around some corner or disappear over a wall. Rane did not even notice all the casual by-standers gathered in the streets as he plowed his way after her.

"Tahiri, please!" The desperation in his voice was painfully evident.

To his relief, her step faltered. Gradually, her pace slowed to a jog and then a walk, as if she was fighting giving in the whole way. With her hands on her hips, Tahiri turned to face him. She was not even showing signs of exertion as Rane pulled up gasping for air. He was fit, but not fit enough to run full out as he had just done, merely to keep up with her as long as he did.

"Listen…" He gasped, then gasped again. "I can…" Another sharp inhale caused Rane to clutch his side. "…explain." Rane held his hand up for a moment as he doubled over trying to regain balance to his breathing.

"I suppose this was the good news you have been trying to tell me about for the last two days."

"Yes." Still hunched over, Rane smiled as he looked up. Her face was cold, judging. His smile faded as he suddenly realized breaking past her initial reaction was going to be no small feat. Tahiri may have stopped, but her mind was still back-pedaling.

"I guess I should have figured that it wasn't meant to last, seeing as how slow you were to come around originally. Well, you've had your fun…"

Rane bolted straight up. "Slow to come around? You think I was slow to come around because I really wasn't interested."

"What else could it be? I mean it's not like you just jumped into this relationship feet first. By the time you got around to expressing any emotion, it felt more like you came in dragging them."

"I was slow to come around for fear of treading over some old wound. It's hard to compete with a perfect dead boyfriend."

Tahiri waved a finger at Rane. "Don't make this about Anakin. It's always about Anakin."

"Yes, it is. You have made it that way."

Tahiri's face flamed red. "No, you make it about Anakin. I let him go a long time ago."

"It is not like you can tell."

The force of Tahiri's slap vibrated through Rane right down to his boots. Before he could even get his hand to the punished cheek, Tahiri was right in his face, madder than he had ever seen her. Actually, Rane could not recall ever truly seeing her angered before.

"Let me tell you something, Rane Fel. I don't discuss Anakin with you because I can tell it gets you all jumpy. But I guess that was my mistake. Maybe I better lay it all out on the line so everything is clear."

Tahiri inhaled once, apparently trying to gather some degree of control. "Anakin Solo was by no means perfect. I loved him, but the truth of the matter is Anakin did not love me enough to stay. When he left me on Myrkr, he promised to come back for a kiss. He broke that promise. The truth is Anakin was bigger than just he and I. He knew that; really I knew that, too. He made a choice, and I was the sacrifice. I could have kept waiting for that kiss until the end of time, or I could have hated Jaina for being more worthy of Anakin's love than I was, or I could have just hated Anakin for not choosing me. I didn't. Do you know what I did?"

Rane opened his mouth to speak, but Tahiri was on a roll.

"I forgave everyone, including myself. Then I let Anakin go. When I went into the Force to save Jaina, Anakin was there. I knew he would be; I could feel him all around the room that day. None of us ever talked about it since - not Jaina or Jacen or myself. It was all too painful - remembering." Tears were streaming unhindered as Tahiri dredged up the hidden memory. "I didn't go to him that day. I couldn't. I only went far enough to guide Jaina back. He had made his choice, and I had made mine. I had chosen to move on. My mistake though was thinking you were different."

Tahiri stifled a sob, batting away a flurry of tears. "I thought what we had was that great kind of love. I was sure, no matter what, you would choose me. I was sure you would never abandon me like Anakin did. I was so afraid of being abandoned that, yes, I was slow, but when I finally gave you my heart I gave it all to you. There isn't some special section you don't get because it went with Anakin. He gave it back the day he left me."

Tahiri's lips quivered as she fought the wave of sadness breaking in her eyes. " I guess I was wrong."

Once her words were out, Rane's heart flooded with some indefinable joy, spreading from his core to every part of his body like a pent up dam releasing all its stored potential energy. His heart rejoiced. Instinctively, Rane reached for Tahiri. "You weren't wrong…"

His hand was smacked away. "It doesn't sound that way to me. Leaving for New Coruscant may be good news for your career, but bad news in the relationship department. Waiting here for you to build a glorious career is not an option, not for me."

"Spikes mean the world to me…"

Tahiri waved her hand in Rane's face, turning her head as if she was tuning him out. Her tone was dismissive. "Save it. I don't want to hear anymore today."

"But…"

Tahiri's eyes blazed. "No. No more buts, no more excuses, Rane. I am tired of being everyone's second choice!" With that said, Tahiri turned and fled.

The explosive start to her escape was beyond the limits of the human body's performance. Only the Force could have allowed Tahiri the burst of speed that powered her flight. Rane huffed disgustedly, knowing that she was lost in that moment.

"But I chose you." He whispered to the air before turning on his heel and heading back the way he came.

* * *

Jaina watched her father's face closely, waiting for a reaction as he stood beside her just inside the entrance to the hangar housing the _Falcon_, _Shadow_ and her own newer, _Legacy_. Others had come along for the tour, but in Jaina's eyes, only her father's opinion mattered. His face was unreadable initially; his discriminating eye rendering some yet unknown judgment concerning her vessel. She held her breath in anticipation.

Han cocked an eye her way, his eyebrow arched. A sly grin slipped across her father's lips before he cast his gaze past Jaina to Jag, who was placating Keira as she turned to find just the right spot to rest her head. "So this is the best you could do with all your fancy Chiss technology?"

Jaina sensed Jag stiffen beside her, the offense taken immediately. Jaina shot her father a furious look. "Dad!"

Han's response reflected the innocent air he portrayed as he threw his hands up nonchalantly. "What did I say?"

"There was a lot of love and hard work invested in that ship. I would think the least you could…"

Wrestling Jaina into a playful hug, one that had been more common a few years ago, Han smacked a kiss on his daughter's head. "I'm just messing with your husband. Can't an old guy have any fun?"

Jaina smacked her palm against her father's chest. Air rushed out in a _whoosh_ with the impact. "No, you can't. Now tell him what you really think."

"I think Mara gets here she is going to be the color of her eyes in a jealous fit, but all that flash still can't hold a candle to the old girl." Han grinned as he thumbed over toward his own ship.

Following her father's lead, Jaina allowed her eyes to wander to the _Falcon_. Sitting next to the _Legacy_, all shiny and new, the _Falcon_, to the casual observer, would have appeared to be an aging hunk of space junk, pieced together from one conflict to the next over the course of several decades. All Jaina, and certainly her father, saw was a part of the family. The _Legacy_, with all its polish, still did not hold quite the same appeal. Jaina hoped it would some day. She looked forward to the time her ship garnered as many fond memories as the _Falcon_ did.

Grasping her father's hand, Jaina responded. "In some ways, no the _Legacy_ can't, but I think you will be impressed nonetheless. What my husband has done is nothing short of spectacular."

"I would expect nothing less for my girls." Han winked to Jag. "So how about a tour?"

Eagerly, Jaina stepped forward, still holding Han's hand. She eyed the other guests who had all taken a moment to casually stroll around the hangar and take in the ship from various angles. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I invite you on board my pride and joy."

Tycho and Wedge strolled over from the front where they were surely scanning for the unseen armaments, hidden surreptitiously into the design. Jacen and Tenel Ka ambled over from another direction, definitely admiring the silver vessel, but not with the same appreciation as the others. Jaina smiled as she approached the lowered ramp, where Trick was rolling down, trilling all the way.

"Hello, Trick. How's the lady after her first voyage?"

Trick beeped and tooted while lights ignited all over. Jaina met the droid at the base, patiently waiting for him to finish. The end of Trick's dissertation was signified by a long toot followed by a complete rotation of his dome. The others watched, somewhat baffled by the strange ability of Jaina to decipher most of what the astromech was trying to convey.

"Well, that's all good. I'll have a look at the sub-light engines later. I am sure your fix was adequate though." She patted the droid's dome, bending down to whisper to him. "And thanks for getting the cleaning droids hopping. I know Jag appreciates it."

A low whistle indicated to Jaina that Trick was grateful for the appreciative words. Together, Jaina and her faithful astromech started up the ramp. Before she got two steps, Wedge's voice broke her step.

"Jaina, Tycho and I are wondering…" The aging Corellian shared a puzzled moment with his best friend. "I mean, we are sure there must be weapons, but we can't see any from the outside."

A wicked gleam twinkled in Jaina's eye before she closed them, almost casually. From the momentary calm that flashed across her face, it was apparent to all she had dropped into the Force. Moments later, the quiet whine of servo-motors all over the ship's exterior could be heard.

Tycho and Wedge stepped back from the boarding ramp in unison, casting their eyes up. No less than eight openings had appeared from apparently seamless areas in the hull - two larger torpedo launchers near the bow and three each from port and starboard - and that was just what they could see.

A subtle low whistle from Han summed up the cumulative thoughts circulating through the group of admirers. "Now, that's impressive."

Tenel Ka released a chuckle as she addressed Jag. "I hear that shipbuilders design their vessels after the women they love. My friend, I think you hit Jaina on the nose."

Everyone laughed before resuming their trek up the boarding ramp, all more anxious than ever to see the inside. Even though the _Legacy_ was Jaina's ship, it was completely exhilarating for her each and every time she walked inside. Some new detail always managed to catch her eye as the new smell assaulted her nostrils. Jaina inhaled deeply as she topped the ramp, reveling in the smell. Glancing back at Jag, their eyes met momentarily, and the couple smiled excitedly.

Jag offered her the hint she was seeking. "How about starting with the cockpit?"

Nodding once, Jaina gently placed the back of her fingers against Keira's warm, pink cheek. Their daughter was blissfully asleep now, totally comfortable in the protective aura of her father's presence. "Do you want to put her down in the crib?"

"No, we are fine."

Jaina nodded then threw her head casually in the direction of the cockpit. "This way."

Leading the troupe of visitors down the hall and into the cockpit, Jaina slipped easily into the pilot's chair. Tycho took the co-pilot's seat next to her as Wedge, Han, Jacen and Tenel Ka fanned out behind them. Jag remained just outside the cockpit, choosing not to risk waking Keira with her heightened sensitivity to noise.

Jaina started to list and describe the features on the dash, following each system across the board. As she went, it became even clearer to her that the layout was carefully thought out as only her husband was capable of, each system flowing from one to the next naturally. She answered questions to the best of her ability until her father requested specifics on the hyperdrive engines that she could not answer.

Leaning over in her seat, Jaina peered up at Jag, looking to her husband to bail her out. The others followed her lead, turning to Jag until all eyes were focused in his direction. "The hyperdrive engine displaces 535 cubic inches and was manufactured by Mit'thrawn Industries in the Rhygar Shipyards."

Han raised an eyebrow as he faced Jaina again. "And you're comfortable with old Thrawn saving your behind when you get in a bind?"

"You can't base your impressions of the Chiss on one demented Grand Admiral." Jaina furrowed her brow as Jag winced at the comment flung at Thrawn's reputation. This was one area the couple would never see eye to eye on, but they refused to let their differing opinions go farther than carefully slung jibes.

"Tell that to me again after one tries to kidnap your kid."

Jag gracefully deflected the conversation by interjecting some more vital statistics on the hyperdrive engine. "The MI535 can get up to point four past light speed. It will get us away safely from almost any ship that comes after the _Legacy_, although she is more than capable of holding her own in a fight as well."

Wedge remarked next, clearly impressed. "We noticed. Between the shields, self-targeting lasers and fore and aft torpedoes, I think most will be running from you. Point four with only a 535 cubic inch displacement? This I have got to see."

"Me, too." Han piped in, clearly not convinced.

Jag nodded to his uncle. "Certainly." He glanced past the group to Jaina. "Do you mind taking Keira?"

Tycho spoke before Jaina had a chance, holding his hands out. "I would like to, if I may?" He glanced from Jaina to Jag. "I haven't had a chance yet."

"Really?" Jaina's eyes shot open in disbelief. She thought everyone had gotten his or her turn with Keira. Careful scrutiny, though, dispelled her initial shock. Tycho was so unassuming that he would let all others get their chance before asking for himself.

Jag eased Keira from his embrace to the waiting arms of his former commanding officer and friend. An instant calm peace washed across the Alderaanian's features as he nestled Keira against his shoulder. Jag glanced from Wedge to Han. "Gentlemen, I will lead the way."

As Jag retreated with her father and uncle, Tenel Ka addressed Jaina. "My friend, I would love to stay and further spend time exploring your impressive vessel, but duty calls unfortunately."

Jaina rose from her seat. "Such is the life of a queen."

Leaning over, Jaina accepted a warm embrace from her friend. Uncharacteristically, Tenel Ka held Jaina for several heartbeats before whispering into Jaina's ear. "It seems as if you are the queen in Jag's eyes."

Jaina backed away, smiling brightly. "A princess maybe." Staring past Tenel Ka, Jaina grinned at Jacen. "I suspect that means you will be leaving us, too," she asked her twin. Jacen blinked once in confirmation. "All right, then. I will see you two later. Right?"

Her twin winked. "I promise to make Tenel Ka neglect her royal duties so she can have dinner with us."

"Perfect." Jaina watched as her brother and friend disappeared down the access corridor. Settling back into the pilot's chair, she paused to observe Tycho gently laying Keira down on the flat length of his thighs. Her daughter was awake now, disturbed by all the shuffling of arms, but peacefully content to rest face up. "You're a natural," Jaina remarked as she noted the ease with which Tycho handled her daughter.

What some might call a blush tinted Tycho's cheeks. "Winter and I missed out on this part of life. Too much drama and baggage always seemed to get in the way."

It was a powerful admission; Jaina felt honored he had shared it with her. "Events seemed to have conspired against Jag and myself. We weren't given the luxury of finding an appropriate time to start a family - free of war, drama, and all that other nonsense."

Tycho stared down at Keira, holding his hand above her face. He blinked excitedly, then grinned when Keira grabbed his extended finger as if she could see it perfectly. He wiggled the finger gently as she tightened her tiny grip. "In hindsight, Winter and I realize that in waiting for the right time, it passed us by. Don't regret what has come to pass, especially when you are given such a wonderful family as this."

As Tycho finished his thought, he met Jaina's stare. "Never."

"Good. So tell me, what are your plans now that you are back? Might I persuade you to consider taking over as Starfighter Commander in the Naboo Defense …"

"Trying to steal my best squadron commander, old friend."

Tycho and Jaina glanced to the cockpit doorway simultaneously at the sound of Wedge's voice. Tycho shrugged innocently as Jaina giggled at the sight of the two former allies now engaged in an obvious battle of wills.

Wedge shook his head. "Just a second ago I realized that face you donned was your sabacc face. Holding my great-niece was just a ruse to get Jaina alone so you could make a play for her."

"Can't fault a guy for trying."

"Well, I can't seem to get used to the idea that you aren't necessarily on my team anymore."

Jaina held her hands up. "Generals, please. No fighting." She eyed Tycho first. "Thank you for the offer. I would like to explore all available options." Jaina turned to Wedge indicating he should speak his peace.

Wedge eased into the datastation seat behind the co-pilot's chair. "How about Rogue Squadron Commander? Gavin is ready to retire; and I can't think of anyone more suited."

Tycho rolled his eyes in disgust. "Like I can beat that."

Jaina, initially overwhelmed, fell back in her seat. "That's quite an offer. I don't know what to say."

Wedge grinned. "How about _yes_?"

The corner of Jaina's mouth curled slightly as the eyebrow on the same side arched. "Although I am completely flattered, I am of a mind to decline. I do have an idea of my own…"

Wedge leaned forward, now intrigued. Tycho reflected the same interest. For some reason, her ideas seemed to spark enthusiasm in both men, probably because she never failed to disappoint. Jaina inhaled sharply, gathering her thoughts.

"After the Battle of Bimm, I found, despite my initial misgivings, that I had really enjoyed the diverse abilities of the Wraith-enhanced squadron. I was thinking of starting Twin Suns back up, using a mix of Jedi and mission specialists to complement each other." Jaina met Wedge's gaze. "I always feel torn between being a Jedi and a squadron commander. Rogues would not be getting the full benefit of my leadership if Jedi business were to arise. I think I could integrate the two this way."

"I can certainly understand that. A Wraith-style squadron harking back to the old days – I like the sound of that. Your idea seems reasonable, but where exactly do you see this new Twin Sins fitting into – the Galactic Alliance or the Jedi Council…" Wedge glanced to Tycho. "…or perhaps the Naboo Defense Force?"

"None of the above."

Tycho interjected a thought. "Running a squadron is not a cheap endeavor. You will need financial backing from somewhere, or is your wealthy husband planning on bankrolling the project?"

The trio laughed before Jaina responded. "I suppose all of the above would have been a more appropriate response. I was thinking of approaching several entities about joining in a shared project – a squadron capable of performing anything from intelligence to fighter support, of going wherever it is needed the most."

"But answerable to none?"

Jaina's smirk was enough of an answer. "You read my mind, sir."

Tycho chuckled. "If anyone can pull it off, you can, Jaina. I'll offer you any support you need."

"Good. Because I will want to base my squadron on Naboo." She turned to Wedge. "Can I count on your support as well?"

Wedge reached across, grabbing Jaina's knee. "Anything to befuddle the political types and preserve the memory of Wraiths everywhere. So it seems like you have a plan. You might look to Iella and Luke as well for support."

Jaina tipped her head. "Great minds think alike."

"First, I need to make sure where Jag ends up, but yes, I have the beginnings of a plan."

In unison, Tycho and Wedge queried Jaina. "What do you mean?"

The two men shared a quick glance before Wedge spoke for them both. "We assumed Jag had transferred here within the CEDF."

Biting her lip in indecision, Jaina hesitated. "Oh, I _assumed_ he had talked to you already. No, my husband is a mere citizen, jobless and looking for gainful employment."

A mischievous glint sparkled in Wedge's eye. "Now that is news, indeed."

* * *

Strolling through the new Jedi Academy grounds, Jacen opened his heart to the Force, which seemed to flow freely through the natural mix of structures and native environment like a powerful river. He was not sure exactly why this was the case, but he knew that some urging from the Force had guided his uncle here, showing him this very location.

Unlike the Academy on Yavin Four, there was no lingering dark sense just beyond the borders. Everything on Naboo rang of rebirth and renewal; the tragedy inflicted on the planet by his grandfather had been vanquished to allow opportunity and hope to spring anew. Love and hope had buried their roots deep in the planet and refused to be sullied by anything less than the brilliant light of the Force.

Sensing an obscure tingling emanating nearby, Jacen's step faltered. He glanced around; his eyes honing in on a shadowy form hidden within a small garden alcove. The recess was carved out of an ancient stone wall that was once part of a Naboo structure destroyed before the rise of the Empire. Instantly, he recognized the Force presence hiding from prying eyes among the seclusion of the garden and the powerful emotions boiling forth.

"Tahiri?" Jacen ducked under an enormous leaf draped across the small stone path leading into the alcove. He took a second to stand and allow his eyes to adjust to the shadow-ridden setting.

A sniffle broke the breezy afternoon air. "Go away, Jacen. I just want to be left alone."

Jacen stayed his feet, refusing to be pushed away so easily. "You don't have to talk if you don't want to, but I don't think you need to be left alone. How about I just sit here quietly?"

Tahiri shook her head silently. Words were impossible as the deluge of tears poured forth. She inhaled sharply, sucking in several stabbing sobs before meeting Jacen's stare. Her green eyes were defiant and broken at the same time. "You are the last person I need to hang around with right now. I don't need anymore reminders…" She stifled the last part with the back of her hand as another spasm wracked her body.

Jacen glanced down. "Oh, I see." He knew instantly what she meant, how looking at him was a painful reminder of his brother dead and gone. Jacen was genuinely broken-hearted that the very sight of him could bring Tahiri pain. "I will go then."

Turning to leave, Jacen paused with his hand pushing away the obstructive leaf. The stiff breeze rustled the branch and nearby vegetation, catching his attention. The pain coursing through him only intensified. It was not his own, though; it was Tahiri's. Such deep sadness like he had only felt a couple times in his short life. Painful reminder or not, there was no way Jacen could leave his friend. Anakin would never have forgiven him.

Jacen pivoted around to face Tahiri; his shoulders squared and prepared to defy her brush-off. His projected attitude was not necessary, for the tiny blonde Jedi, a girl he considered almost as true of a sister as Jaina, was slouched over on the small bench she had been using as a seat. Her head was buried in a pair of crossed arms as her back bobbed in time with the rhythmic sobs muffled against the hard seat.

In an instant, Jacen found himself making a seat out of the tiny available corner of the cool marble bench. His hand trembled with uncertainty as his fingers stroked the golden ringlets falling along Tahiri's back. "Shhhhhh…." His voice was barely a whisper.

If it were possible, her sobs increased in intensity until Jacen was sure Tahiri was going to hyperventilate. He had the presence of mind to place a soothing palm across her back and send a comforting wave. Some of the tension in her back and ribs dissipated. The cries remained, but they were not as severe. The pain was still so powerful, like the undertow in the Mon Cal Ocean, that it was possible to drown in it.

Reaching to the Force as an anchor against the tidal flow pouring forth, Jacen drew strength from the energy of life all around, hoping to will the optimism of renewed growth, so tangible in this place, into his friend, to show her promise when utter despair had become her cloak. Not only did he find the resiliency of the Force, but something Tahiri needed even more – the love of his brother. All around, surrounding them, engulfing them, Anakin was there, tendering his own strength.

Jacen gently gripped Tahiri by the shoulders and guided her body up. She did not resist; she was nothing more than clay in his hands, lacking the spirit that was her trademark. His hands though seemed not to be his own. Jacen could feel another will guiding his actions, like he was no longer in control. He and Tahiri were caught in a destiny they could not deny or even try to fight.

Tahiri melted into Jacen; her hands clutching his shirt, tears soaking through his shirt and meeting the warmth of his skin. Those tears scalded like hot brands, each one telling a tale of grief and loss. Jacen felt the desire to take every last burning tear, as if merely the act would banish her sorrow, but slowly he realized that the desire, too, was not his own. The light wind swirled around them both, encompassing not just Tahiri but Jacen as well, binding them in some moment of consequence. In the wind there was another.

Stroking Tahiri's hair, Jacen let his cheek come to rest on top of her head. "It will be all right."

"He's leaving me." Her breath warmed the watery stain on his shirt. "Why does everyone leave me?"

Jacen's heart broke in two. Loneliness was the worst kind of pain. They were not alone though; they were never alone. "Sometimes even though we are apart, the ones we love most are still there for us, wishing us happiness and joy despite the separation. You aren't alone, Tahiri."

"But everyone I ever love leaves me." Suddenly she shifted so she could peer into his eyes. "Am I that horrible? Did they make me into a monster so no one will ever love me?"

Jacen's eyes drifted to the scars on Tahiri's forehead, the grim reminder of the evil inflicted on Tahiri's once-brilliant psyche. Anakin had dared once, beyond unbelievable odds, to save Tahiri and had been able to pull her back. In the same way, Anakin had risked everything to save Jaina on that fateful day at Myrkr. He saved Tahiri, but threw away everything else – his future, his happiness, the love of his life. Without thinking, Jacen brushed his palm across her forehead as comfort flowed in his touch.

"There is nothing horrible about you. Why would you ever think such a thing?"

"He's leaving me." Those words again.

There was more to her pain than missing Anakin. Tahiri had found new hope in the arms of Rane Fel. There was no doubt in Jacen's heart that Tahiri was the young man's sun and moon and every star in between. What terrible event had precluded this tragic turn in Tahiri's life he could not even fathom.

"Rane?"

The painful squint of her eyes was telling. Jacen gently thumbed away a tear as the wind whipped around more, swirling in and out of them, whisking the other tears away. He felt it like a hot breath on the skin of his neck as it blew by. Jacen eyed the strange passing as if he might catch a glimpse of something real before turning his eyes back to Tahiri.

"I can't imagine Rane would just leave you suddenly. Even this morning I noticed the way he watches you. He can't stay in the same room without being captivated by your presence. His love for you is as tangible as this leaf." Jacen flicked a nearby branch for emphasis.

Tahiri's lower lip quivered as she glanced down at her hands, nervously shuffling them in her lap. "His squadron was picked for the New Coruscant Defense Group. He'll be going to New Coruscant."

Jacen leaned his head down, peering into Tahiri's downcast eyes, taking her hands in his. "That's an excellent opportunity for him. Maybe you could ask Uncle Luke for a transfer to New Coruscant. I know I am the only one assigned there now, but when the world brain completes its task of revitalizing and balancing the eco-system I am sure…"

Jerking her hands free, Tahiri spat back. "New Coruscant won't be habitable for another six months, and then it will take at least a year to set up the new governmental seat. You know, as well as I, that another Jedi would be wasted there. Why you don't even stay on the planet all the time. You said there is nothing to do but watch things grow!"

Gently, Jacen reacquired her hands. "I know it wouldn't be immediate; I just thought…"

"You thought what? That eventually Rane and I could be together. If he wanted that, he would have told me himself. I had to find out from his father! The coward was too afraid to tell me to my face."

This time the tirade ended in Tahiri beating her hands against Jacen's chest. He withstood the pummeling without even a flinch, imagining his pain was nothing in comparison. After a couple more thumps of her fists accented with the increase in her cries of anguish she at last heaved her body against his own.

Jacen sat for a moment, at a loss for words, unable to find a way to relieve her pain. The wind whipped by again, ruffling his hair playfully, blowing her curls tenderly up off her back. This time instead of easing away as before, the wind intensified and eddied, shielding them in a vortex. The Force was stronger now, blazing with love and familiarity.

In it, though, was also a painful reminder. A vision passed before Jacen's eyes. Anakin standing in the heart of the voxyn cloning chamber, his arm outstretched with a detonator in it. That was Anakin's finest moment. Jacen's brother had been one with the Force, like he was now; his luminescent body no longer a vessel, but a true part of the great web of life.

_Thirty seconds._

"No." Jacen whispered.

Anakin released the trigger.

_Take her, Jacen. Kiss Tahiri for me._

"Yes, I promise."

Tahiri lifted her head from Jacen's chest after he spoke. Tracks of tears traced along her pale cheeks. Her green eyes darted back and forth in confusion.

"Jacen?" It was then that she noticed the column of moving air engulfing them was more than a natural occurrence. Tahiri momentarily forgot her confusion, focusing on the odd phenomenon. Up until then, she had been so absorbed in her own pain; nothing had penetrated the fog of her sorrow. The air closed in and her eyes widened in wonder. Tahiri reached out with her index finger in the lead, trying to capture or touch the powerful rush of air. "Anakin?"

The swirl strengthened to astronomical proportions then disappeared as quickly as the blink of an eye. At the same moment, Jacen exhaled a gasp. Tahiri noticed and turned to look at him, confusion riddling her face. The bewilderment faded rapidly as it had been formed to be replaced by recognition.

Jacen was no longer in control of his faculties. He saw Tahiri through the eyes of a man that loved her. She was lovelier than he ever imagined; even though nothing had changed. Jacen felt his heart expanding with the power of a love he had yet to find on his own, then overflow to fill the rest of his body.

His hand rose until the heel of his palm rested against the angular plane of Tahiri's jaw. All the while, he was drowning in her eyes, drawn closer and closer until their lips touched. He was whole once more.

* * *

Rane could not believe he had found her. Brushing aside the obtrusive leafy branch blocking the path, Rane stepped into the alcove. It had taken him the better part of the afternoon, running from one haunt to another, for him to find Tahiri. He was not sure if it was a blessing or a curse that he knew every possible place she might steal away.

At last, he had found her amidst the peaceful grounds of the Jedi Academy. Rane was grateful she had not been suffering alone. Jacen, practically a brother, was there offering her comfort. The fear squeezing Rane's heart lessened, knowing this. Watching as they sat huddled close, Jacen's hands holding Tahiri at the shoulder; Rane eased closer, then his step faltered.

The distance had closed between Jacen and Tahiri. They were so close that it caused a tight fist of annoyance to close around his stomach. They were too close. Then, their lips touched. Rane could not find the strength to breath, or the strength to take another step. The pit of dread in his gut twisted under the terrible pressure. Bile rose from deep within leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.

Tahiri was his, not Anakin's and certainly not his brother's. She had told him so; she told him that she would give him her heart. The pain was piercing with such intensity that he shook from the imagined agony. Rane's fists balled as the rest of his body tensed in protest.

Tahiri was his.

Rane shot forward, heeding the demand of his heart to protect his own. He grabbed Jacen by the shoulder and forcefully yanked the male Jedi's lips away from Tahiri. The other hand, still locked in a tight ball, flew forward, meeting no defense until it found the hard bone of Jacen's jaw with a resounding _thud_.

Jacen's head flipped aside with the force of the impact. Rane was so overcome by his own fury that he hardly noticed Tahiri as she screamed, nor did he notice her call his name. All Rane wanted was to make Jacen Solo pay, to make him feel the same pain coursing through Rane's own Corellian veins.

He raised his arm to level a second blow, only to be halted by a powerful grip. Then he was being shoved backwards by two small hands. "Rane! Stop!"

Rane leaned forward, wanting more, needing to dole out more punishment for the perceived offense. His foe was rising. "How dare you…" Rane's words dripped with venomous emotions.

A powerful tug sent Rane hurling backward. Several stumbling steps were required to regain his balance. As Rane marched forward, undaunted by the momentary interruption, Jacen struggled to stand, looking utterly bewildered while rubbing his battered jaw. Suddenly, Tahiri stepped between Rane and his intended victim. The flash in her eyes was a warning clearly indicated for him.

She braced her arm out, forcing him to come to a halt. "Rane, leave him alone."

The look in Rane's eyes as he stared down at her was one of betrayal and misguided fury. "I am going to make him pay."

"Pay for what, Rane?" Her voice resonated with the same determination and disgust inflicted in his.

"For…for…You know. I can't even bring myself to say it."

Jacen closed the distance, coming to stand behind Tahiri. He rested a hand on her shoulder as he spoke in a calm, controlled voice. "It's not what you think. I am sorry if you mistakenly thought…"

Rane lunged forward, but Tahiri used her Jedi enhanced strength to stop him from passing her. Even then, his arms swung dangerously close to Jacen. "I don't think there was any mistaking what I saw. One small misunderstanding and you are making the moves on my girlfriend."

Tahiri shoved him unexpectedly. "I am not your girlfriend, not any more. I can kiss who I chose. You lost that right when you accepted the New Coruscant assignment." Angered beyond words, Tahiri rushed past, heading for the path out of the alcove.

Rane grabbed her arm, his fingers gripping tightly into the sleeve of her shirt. "That is what you don't understand. I didn't…"

Tahiri jerked her arm free. "No…"

"…take the…"

"No more!" She was running away, fleeing to the freedom of the public path before her.

"Will you stop for just one second?"

No sooner had Rane spoken the words, Tahiri ran into an invisible wall. She bounced back, momentarily stunned. As Tahiri swiveled in place, her eyes were slits that did not disguise or mask the flaring anger within. She was not directing it at Rane though, but rather just beyond him.

"Don't you play games with me! Not now. You were the one person who never played games with me."

Jacen's voice echoed with calm reassurance; her wrath seemed to be above him. "I think you should listen to what the man has to say."

In a cascade of flying blonde curls, Tahiri spun away in disgust to fling herself at the invisible wall. She pounded her fists, grunting her displeasure. "Let. Me! Go!!"

"You can't overpower me. We both know that." She turned, crossing her arms in indignant defeat. "Don't you think Rane deserves the opportunity to be heard? He did take on a Jedi for you – Jaina's brother at that. It's got to be worth something?"

The lop-sided grin that followed disarmed her. "Make it quick." The indignant manner with which she swung her gaze from Jacen indicated her anger for now was apparently redirected from Rane.

Thoroughly confused by the strange turn of events, Rane glanced from Tahiri to Jacen. The male Jedi spoke to Rane, indicating to Tahiri with an upturned palm. "Speak your mind. You're either crazy or in love. You better tell her which it is and _quickly_."

"But you and her…" Rane's voice trailed off as he thumbed over his shoulder toward Tahiri.

Jacen's smile was wistful. "That was unfinished business. It wasn't meant to interfere with what you have or compete, merely give Tahiri closure so she could move on. She is yours now. I set her free."

"Oh…thanks. I think." Looking down to his feet, Rane clenched his fingers in indecision. Lifting his eyes again, he smiled appreciatively. "Helps to have those powers when dealing with a hotheaded Jedi."

"Helpful, but not necessary. You just have to think faster than her temper. Tell her what you feel from the start." Jacen glanced past Rane, eyeing Tahiri. "And she needs to feel with her heart and listen with her ears. It was always her weakest point."

Jacen stepped forward and placed a hand on Rane's shoulder. "Take good care of her."

The weight of Jacen's words was not lost on Rane. He stared the other man directly in the eye. "I will." He paused. "I promise."

Jacen tipped his head, then walked away. His back was to Rane, so he could not see the exchange between Jacen and Tahiri. The male Jedi stopped for a moment at her side. Tahiri reached out tentatively with her fingertips to stroke his cheek. Rane flinched inwardly at the sight. Their goodbye was barely audible, before Jacen disappeared onto the open path that wandered throughout the Jedi Academy.

Rane stayed where he was for a moment, not sure how to proceed until he saw Tahiri wipe away a tear. Then all he wanted to do was hold her. He moved forward, taking her in his arms, pulling her to his chest. To his relief, she welcomed the comfort without hesitation, allowing her arms to wrap around his waist.

Dropping his head down, Rane placed a kiss on the top of her head, one and then another, unable to deny her the power of his love. Finally, he rested his chin atop her hair and breathed a sigh.

"I chose you."

At the sound of his voice, Tahiri drew back to stare up into his eyes. "You chose me?"

"Yes, all that time I was trying to say I chose to stay. I am going to put in a request to transfer to another Chiss squadron stationed here. If they deny me, I will go to Csilla and renounce my vows so I can join the Naboo Defense Force."

"You would do that for me?"

"That was what I was trying to tell you. When I got the news, my only thought was to find a way to stay with you. Spikes mean a lot to me, but that pales in comparison to what I feel for you."

Tahiri flung herself back into his arms. "I am such a fool!"

"Fair-haired and all." Rane chuckled, stroking her hair. The point of his joke lost in the translation. "No, but you do make life interesting."

She buried her face, half-hiding the shame in her voice. "Can you forgive me?"

Rane drew his hand between them until he had Tahiri by the chin. He eased her face up so he could meet her gaze. "I love you so much. That is all I was trying to say. Sometimes I just run around the point the long way." He searched her watery orbs for a moment. "I have to know though…I mean, what I saw…"

A kiss from Tahiri as she stretched up on her tiptoes silenced his doubt. Rane captured her back into both of his arms, pressing their bodies into one. He could taste the salt of the tears remaining on her lips, but they were undeniably his lips and no one else's to kiss. She opened her heart and mouth to him in the same moment, and Rane drank from their pleasurable dew like a greedy man. Equal to the task of his plundering, Tahiri struck back with her own tongue, singing a song of pure passion.

He moaned her name, and she pulled away. "Does that answer your question?"

He hesitated. Tahiri, not willing to let anything interfere with the opportunity she had been given, tried to reassure him. "When Anakin left us on Myrkr to go to his death, to save us, I denied him a kiss. It was a cruel way of punishing him for leaving me. Jacen promised Anakin to take that kiss someday, to fulfill his dying wish."

She smiled, her eyes lost in another place. "I think Jacen figured he better take his shot before it was too late. He never was one to strike while the iron was hot - not like Jaina at all, or Anakin, for that matter. He always needed a little nudge."

Rane winced despite his desire to fight the painful wrenching in his gut at the thought of another sharing her lips, ever. Tahiri noticed, and stroked her fingers along his temple, brushing them through his short blonde hair.

"It was a farewell and a blessing and forgiveness, all in one. I needed that. Now I no longer need to carry the shame of the hurt I inflicted on Anakin that day. I am forever yours, if you'll have me."

Gradually a grin blossomed along Rane's lips. "I want nothing more."

Tahiri's expression turned somber all of a sudden, causing him to stiffen. She lovingly drew her finger down his jawbone until it came to rest on his chest. She stared at her hand as she talked. "I don't want you to resign your position in Spikes. I want you to keep flying. They are the fruit of your love and labor."

"But…"

She silenced him with two fingers on his lips. "We can work something out, I am sure. Jacen was right. Maybe I can get assigned to New Coruscant. He is there routinely. I could ask him to work with me on developing my connection to the world brain and increasing my Vongsense. I have the ability; I have just been hesitant to use it. The posting on New Coruscant won't be permanent anyway. At some point, Spikes will have to rotate out."

"And we could meet that hurdle when the time comes." A glimmer of excited hope sparkled in Rane's eyes, not only was she giving him her love, but his freedom as well.

"And I promise not to run away when you try to talk to me about it." They laughed. Rane was the first to stop. Tahiri's giggle halted as she noted the serious set to his jaw. "What?"

"You have to know, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Tahiri. Someday – not yet though – I am going to ask you to marry me. We are both young still. Life is terribly hard for me, let alone worrying about two people. Not that I don't worry about you every second of the day. It's just that…"

"I know. It would be different though, if we were married."

He flashed his mother's holostar smile. "Besides you may realize I am all wrong for you – too grim or Chiss or something."

Tahiri shook her head. "Never. I will be ready when you are. We have our whole lives ahead of us. There is no sense rushing things."

Rane hissed a sigh, and his shoulders sagged in relief. "Good. I am glad you agree, because after Jag, my mother threatened me within an inch of my life that I better do this right. She insists on having at least one perfect wedding to cry at before she gets through with all of us."

* * *

Strolling down the ramp of the _Legacy_, Jaina felt contentment like never before in the comfortable embrace of Mara's arm slung low around her waist. Having Keira back in the crook of her own arm only added to the warm feeling encompassing her like a comfortable robe. For too long, Jaina had been without this type of shared bond, the wonderful link that only two Jedi could form after years of familiarity. Not that she thought less of her friendship with Syal and Briaun; it was just different.

Back on the smooth, polished surface of the hangar floor, both women stopped their trek, knowing each other's thoughts intimately. Jaina faced Mara, opening her mouth to ask a question. The older women beat her to the punch.

"I think your husband loves you very much. Every corner and minute detail reflects that clearly. I love it."

Jaina leaned over and pecked a kiss on Mara's cheek. "Thanks." She could not help but smile as well. "I hope Uncle Luke can see her soon."

Mara rubbed her hand along Jaina's waist. "As soon as all this dedication business is through, he will have more time. I should have stayed and helped, but he insisted I spend time with you and Keira today."

"And I am grateful, more than you can know."

"Oh, I think I do."

Blushing, Jaina curled her lips in a bashful grin. "I guess you do."

Jaina sensed her husband nearby. She raised her eyes and waved to Jag, who appeared on the port wing of the ship, a hydrospanner in his hand. "Fixed?"

He nodded an affirmative. "I will be right down."

"Okay. We'll wait here." Jaina adjusted Keira's position as the baby squirmed in her arms.

Mara removed her arm from Jaina's waist in order to stroke the black fuzz protruding out in every direction from Keira's scalp. "She's getting restless."

"I know. I guess I better get home and feed her. She can be quite demanding about eating."

"Ben was a monster about feeding time early on."

Jaina laughed. "He still is – a monster that is. I can't believe you let the Antilles' girls come over and baby-sit. I fear for what you will find upon arriving home."

Mara's eyes sparkled with a wicked gleam. "Oh, he knows better than to risk his freedom. The girls are great with Ben. They have that Antilles' spunk; he really doesn't stand a chance. And Luke is only a stone's throw away."

"If you say so." Jaina arched an eyebrow, not convinced. "Tell me, can we expect you for dinner?"

"No, I am afraid not. I really have to help Luke tonight. We'll be going over last minute preparations until the wee hours."

Jaina interrupted. "You're not pushing too hard I hope."

Mara glanced down as Jaina pointedly eyed her still flat abdomen. "Your uncle looks out for us."

"Good. We want a healthy baby so Keira can have a friend to play with." Jaina winked, surprised to see a blush tint her aunt's cheeks.

Mara diverted the conversation quickly. "That reminds me. Your uncle - no let me correct myself – Jedi Master Skywalker would like to ask an official favor of Jedi Knight Jaina Solo. Excuse me – Solo-Fel."

Furrowing her brows, Jaina urged Mara to continue. "Go ahead."

"Luke really wanted to ask you himself, but there wasn't an appropriate time earlier. He would like for you to give the address at the dedication the day after next."

Jaina's mouth gaped open in utter astonishment. After a moment she gathered composure enough to respond. "I am deeply honored, but isn't there someone more suited, like Uncle Luke?"

Mara reached up and tenderly brushed aside a wisp of Jaina's hair. "No, not really. You are the one who defeated Shimmra and put an end to this conflict. This Jedi Praxeum is a new beginning, a fresh start. Just like Luke was a bridge to the Old Jedi Order, so too are you a bridge to the Old Academy on Yavin 4. You and your friends will usher in a new generation of Jedi to follow. We think it is only fitting that you speak for them."

"I don't know what to say."

"How about _yes_?"

Jaina rolled her eyes indignantly as a pout crossed her lips. "That phrase is getting old today. Everyone seems to want something or another."

"Get used to it." Mara chided her niece's momentary fit.

Heaving her shoulders, Jaina returned to her former composed self. "I would be honored." She winked. "There you go - one more thing off Uncle Luke's plate for today."

"He'll be thrilled." Mara hugged Jaina. "Your uncle was dreading giving another speech, especially after last time."

It took a second for Jaina to get the meaning of her aunt's words. "You mean because of the whole Sword-of-the-Jedi speech?" Mara nodded. "Those words were from the Force. Everything he said came to pass."

Mara wrapped her arm around Jaina's shoulder, squeezing her niece to her. "That's true, but it doesn't change the fact that he feels responsible for your suffering to a degree."

"But I never…"

"I know. Talk to him some time. He needs to hear those words from you. He'll never bring it up, so I am counting on you to straighten him out."

The two women stood silently for a moment, basking in the comfort each were able to provide the other. Keira, however, decided moments of united bliss in the Force were not the priority of the minute and let loose a wail of protest. Both women laughed in unison while Jaina lifted Keira up over their heads.

"All right missy. I get the message - food time." Swooping Keira down, Jaina planted a kiss on her tiny belly before wrinkling her nose. "And diaper time as well."

"We can change her on the ship before we head out."

Jaina glanced over her shoulder to flash her husband a toothy greeting at the same time as she dropped Keira to her hip. "Sounds like a plan. Mara said she could drop us…"

Jaina's voice trailed off. She felt a familiar presence she had not felt in a long time. As if linked in some strange connection, both Jaina and Mara pivoted their heads in complete synchronization until they were staring across the hangar, away from Jag. He followed their gaze.

"Oh good, Jacen's here. I guess we can get a ride with him and not trouble Mara. Let's get…" Jag lost his thought as Jaina unexpectedly walked away, heading in Jacen's direction.

She did not even notice when Mara stayed Jag with a hand as he tried to follow. "Give them a moment."

All Jaina knew was that Keira was going to be given one special moment with her uncle, and her feet flew like they were on wings. She had traversed the distance in a matter of seconds, then stopped to smile up into her brother's eyes. He flashed her father's lop-sided grin back.

All Jaina could manage was, "Hi."

He leaned over to tenderly kiss her forehead. "Hi back." Then he reached a hand out to smooth back Keira's hair. Looking down, Jaina realized her daughter had ceased to fuss and was intently focused on her brother's presence.

Holding out his hands, he asked, "May I?"

Jaina offered Keira without hesitation into his waiting arms. One tear slipped down her cheek, which she quickly wiped away. Watching her daughter drop her head into her uncle's strong chest while he in turn enveloped her in his loving arms, Jaina heaved a sigh of happiness. Laying her hand atop Keira's head, Jaina was determined to share in the bond for as long as it was granted.

He spoke to Keira in a soft whisper. "Hello, Keira. I'm glad we got to meet this once. It may be a long time coming until our next chance encounter, but we will see each other again. Until that time, may the Force be with you, guide you and keep you safe. And you know I will always be looking out for you, even when Mommy can't."

Jaina dropped her own head against her brother's shoulder, finding comfort in the closeness. "Thanks, Anakin."

"Anytime, sis."


	7. Brothers

**Chapter 6**

_Jaina sat facing a wall of red yorik coral, bent uncomfortably forward with her elbows between her knees, her ankles and wrists fastened to the floor by gummy masses of blorash jelly. She was barely clothed and filthy and in too much pain to care. She shivered; she did wish it were not so cold._

_A small button-shaped beetle landed on the floor beside each of Jaina's wrists and ankles. The blorash jelly released its adhesive hold on her flesh and slid away to encase the struggling insects. A firm hand jerked Jaina to her feet and spun her toward the center of the room._

_The chamber was dim, so dim she could not see the others. A booming voice called out. "You are the one in control."_

_Jaina began to feel sick and frightened, but forced herself to raise her head and step forward without being summoned. Jaina's confidence was not enough to keep her from trembling as she approached._

"_I hope you don't expect me to thank you."_

_The owner of the voice soured her stomach by clasping the back of her neck. "No need."_

_He guided her to the unseen menace. Through the Force she could feel the creature's malicious hunger. Jaina swallowed; she was willing to endure the pain again. She started to kneel._

_The hand tightened, holding her up. "That is not what I was thinking." He guided her past the evil creature to the wall where the outline of two men could be made out affixed to the floor. "Choose."_

"_What?" Jaina felt stunned at the demand placed upon her. "Choose what?"_

"_You are in control, Jaina Solo. Who will be next?"_

_Jaina shut her eyes tightly, wishing she were anywhere but here. _This all must be some horrible nightmare.

"_I am Jagged Fel." Jaina opened her eyes. There was Jag standing in his formal black Chiss uniform; his green-eyed gaze raked her over. "A Jedi, too. Fascinating."_

_Jaina blinked her eyes in confusion. "Too?"_

"_In addition to being a superior pilot. You are a difficult kill." _

A difficult kill? Ah yes, he means it as a compliment._ Jaina smiled, grateful to be free of the earlier memory. "You meant that as a compliment."_

Jag nodded. "Among the Chiss, it is high praise indeed. I was only a bit better than you at your age."

_Then another voice ripped into her consciousness, yanking Jaina from the thrall of her enchantment, as it mocked his compliment. "Which was what, about two years ago?"_

_She turned and, instead of Ganner, found herself looking directly into a pair of green two-tone eyes, a sentiment much deeper than friendship evident in the way they held her gaze. Words from another time and place fell off her tongue. "Another success for Zekk."_

_Jaina waited a moment for him to look away, and, when he did not, passed some indeterminate object to him. "Hold this while I get the cutter."_

_Jaina reached for something. _What was it I needed? Oh yes, the lasercutter. _All she could think about was that spark that passed through her very being the moment she had met Jagged Fel's eyes for the first time. _That_ had made her stomach flutter._

"_Jaina?" Zekk fluttered something in front of her face. "Are you going to cut or not?"_

_Jaina turned away. "Of course…"_

"_Your choice," the voice demanded._

"_You can't ask that," Jaina said. She glanced down. "I don't know."_

"_You do know."_

_She gazed back up to see Jag's piercing green eyes, solid in color as he was as a man._

"_You have to know. Nobody else but you could know." He leaned in closer. It was not a posture of intimidation; he stared into her eyes as if he might find an answer written in tiny letters on her pupils. "Answer me."_

"_I…I…" Her voice hoarsened until she was sure she could no longer use it, but finally words emerged. "Everyone is going away." Tears blurred her vision. "They keep going away and I can't stop it. I didn't want you to go away."_

_The tears came, and Jag was transformed into a wavery block of black uniform before he took her by the shoulders and pulled her to him. He drew her head to his chest, resting his own atop hers. She leaned against him, a half collapse, her legs no longer willing or able to bear all her weight._

"_I won't go anywhere," he said._

"_Why?"_

"_Why what?"_

"_Why won't you go anywhere?"_

"_Because I don't want to." Jag tilted her head up by the chin, and suddenly she was kissing him, holding him tight enough to cause a vacuum weld. The kiss blossomed and grew with a passion all its own. Jaina reveled in the comforting taste of his mouth, opening to him, accepting his desire. He drank from her, taking what he needed like a starved man, drawing from her inner power. Then, she felt the weakening within. He took more and more, demanding her very soul with his kiss._

_These were not the kisses she had grown to know intimately. Jag's kisses gave more than they demanded; they were about a union. These kisses were about consumption and possession. As she realized who she was embracing, Jaina pulled her hands between them and forced the offender away._

"_Zekk, please don't. I can't."_

"_Why not? We had something once. Why can't we go back to the way it was?" Pain pooled in his eyes._

"_Because, Zekk, I don't love you, not like that. I never did." She tried to stand firm, to force resolve into her voice, but she felt so weak._

"_We were meant to be together. I know it in my heart."_

_Jaina knew she would have to be truthful with Zekk to sever his dream. "Then your heart fools you, because my heart belongs to someone else." The hurt drowned his eyes, and Zekk stepped back like he had been kicked in the heart._

"_Who?" He demanded._

_Jaina became defensive at the intrusion. "I think that is my business. I choose to protect the one I love and guard him in my heart." _

"_He's not even a Jedi, is he?" Zekk glared at Jaina, a fury of hurt rising in his heart._

_Jaina became incensed by the remark, and her natural instinct to fight took over. "No, he's not." She felt the anger welling within her, that dark voice whispering for her to heed its siren call. She shut her eyes and beat it back with her steely resolve. _Don't give in. That is what he wants.

_Another familiar voice offered her support. "Jaina, you _can_ choose." _

_Then another voice, Jag's voice. "You can choose me."_

"_Yes." Jaina opened her eyes. She was sitting on the bench in the Oceanview Outcropping. Jag kneeled before her, his hands holding hers. She knew this moment. It was the moment she had chosen Jag forever. The Force rushed through Jaina, sending her a glowing warmth, but the sensation was eclipsed by the pleasure of Jag's lips greedily devouring her own. Jaina invited him to taste her pleasure and tasted his in return. Her hands found their way from his shoulders to his hair then back to cup his face. Liquid happiness hit her thumbs, mirroring her own tears. _

Finally their bodies both demanded oxygen, and she fell into him, allowing his strong arms to engulf her. The relief over finally choosing was too much, and tears fell unhindered. It was all a mindless blur. The whole episode became distorted and fuzzy as she sobbed in his arms, grateful he understood her need for release. She stayed there as the tears subsided, with her cheek nestled to his chest until she felt the agitation grow deep within. Her baby was frightened.

_The unsettling of her child was enough to bring Jaina to her senses. She pulled away, realizing too late that it was Zekk who held her in his arms. Free from the cloak of his dark control, Jaina stood. "I think you should leave."_

_The male Jedi rose and blocked her path. Jaina tried to back away as she came within inches of him. Zekk clutched her arms, pinning them to her side. "The sooner you accept it, the sooner we can get on with our lives."_

_Jaina felt the dark urging strangling her focus again. She shook her head, blinking it away. "Zekk, stop playing with my mind! What's wrong with you?"_

_His fingers dug into her arm. It would have been simple to fight him off, but Jaina hesitated for two reasons; a desire to protect her baby and a need to help her old friend find his way back from this terrible turn. She harnessed the good of the Force and sent it to him._

"_Why don't we sit down and talk about this?"_

_Zekk stopped for a moment, his face not revealing a turn one way or the other. She waited anxiously holding her breath. Before Jaina realized what was happening, there was a feeling of complete horror from her child. Zekk had burrowed through Jaina's shields and invaded her most intimate thoughts, finding her unborn child with his probe. Jaina tried to send him flying with a blast of the Force. He was too strong; he absorbed the power with a simple wave of his hand._

_Zekk was visibly enraged. "There is nothing to talk about. Forget him and focus on me, on us."_

_The dark wall was descending on her thoughts again as he moved closer. Jaina backed away until she bumped into an obstruction. "That's not going to happen."_

_Zekk grabbed her and started shouting. "Listen to me, you will forget about that arrogant Imperial Force-blind fighter jock." His words grew sharper with each one uttered. She could not fight his grip as he yanked her to him and placed his hand on her abdomen. She looked down to where it rested on the simple yellow sheath of her gown. "I will rip his seed from your body as he watches. After that I will kill your pathetic boytoy, and show you what it means to be with a real man, one worthy of you."_

_Jaina struggled against his grip, but there was some invisible shield holding her there. Zekk's eyes glowed almost yellow as he flexed his fingers across the swell of her stomach. In that instant the pain was so overwhelming, Jaina thought her world was turning inside out. Her sight began to disappear like a hood closing in from all sides, darkening the world. She tried to fight him, to summon the Force to no avail. The bliss of the darkness was all-consuming; it took away the pain. Just as Jaina was about to succumb, a brilliant flash blinded her eyes with the whitest intense light imaginable. She fell into nothingness._

Jaina jolted from her sleep with a start, panic caused her breathing to come in short, shallow pants. After a few unsettled seconds between sleep and wake, Jaina recognized the bedroom of her parents' house. She pushed off the arm of the settee, a blanket falling away from her shoulders to pool in her lap. Jaina swiveled her torso to face the far corner, scanning the Force quickly as she did.

Keira was sleeping peacefully in her crib, not a care in her tiny world. Jaina heaved a sigh as her initial panic receded. Her Jedi instincts were taking over, reminding her to call on the Force for peace and guidance. The relative safety of Csilla, coupled with the length of her illness and pregnancy, had lulled Jaina into losing her intensity of focus.

She had even fallen asleep, forgetting to fall into the blissful peace of the Force in her exhaustion. After staying up most of the night to prepare for her busy day ahead, Jaina had caught a short nap then risen to feed Keira. It was apparent she had fallen asleep nursing, and Jag had placed their daughter in the crib and covered Jaina on the small couch with a blanket before heading for the shower. Her lapse had allowed this dream to filter past her barriers.

Jaina stood from the settee, taking a moment to fold the blanket. Stretching her back out to chase away the kinks from an awkward sleeping position, Jaina listened to the sounds emanating from the refresher. The water was no longer running; Jag was moments from exiting.

Reflecting on her current state, Jaina found she had easily released the apprehension that had taken hold in her dream state. Jag's calm confidence had much to do with that. His ability to ably handle any situation was what drew Jaina to Jag, but in a sudden epiphany it also had fooled her into a false sense of security and calmness. Jaina chided herself for a moment, then set her resolve to make a change. This marriage was definitely one sided, not that Jag had made her feel that way, but it was time she started handling more of the burden.

It was time for Jaina to make some changes, pull her weight, reevaluate and simply grow up. Today promised to be a big step in that direction, not a minute was spared between her appointments with Wedge, Tycho and others. Reforming Twin Suns was an integral part of the changes she needed to make. She resolved to make time during the day to get back in touch with her Jedi heritage, reflect on this dream and its meaning, and immediately begin reacquiring her edge.

"Good morning."

Jaina glanced up, suddenly aware that she was still clutching the blanket to her chest. She casually draped it over the settee, then smiled up at her husband as he crossed the room covered in nothing more than a towel slung around his hips. Hints of water still glistened on his skin in the dimness of the early dawn light.

"Morning."

He stopped by the closet and ran his fingers through his short damp hair as if to give it order. Jag's hand stopped halfway through its task. "Is everything all right?"

Jaina gave a quick nod. There was little to tell other than she had a bad dream. _Later_, she thought. _We can talk about it after I sort everything out._

Jag walked to her, leaning in for a quick kiss. Jaina smiled, as she tasted the minty fragrance of his freshly brushed teeth. Rubbing one palm along the length of her bare arm, Jag's hand was warm against the coolness of her exposed skin. Despite this fact, goosebumps formed along the path of his caress.

Jag did not fail to notice. He retraced the trail with his fingertip, his subtle smile turning sultry as his eyes darkened. "Did you have a nice nap?"

Jaina nodded while her eyes trained on the firm contours of Jag's chest, watching the sensual movement of his skin over the muscle as it worked toward causing magic in a touch. She licked her lips. "Mmmm-huh."

Jag glanced past Jaina to the crib. Jaina knew his concern like it was her own thought. "She's asleep." Jag met Jaina's eyes. "Sound asleep."

Not more than a second later, Jaina found herself swept into Jag's powerful embrace. She giggled, then placed her moist lips in the hollow of his neck. At first she kissed him, followed by a nip and a lick before she opened her mouth and sucked on his clean damp skin. Jaina realized she was moving, and she lifted her head.

"Where are you going?"

"To the refresher." The sound of his husky voice resonated in his chest.

"Whatever for?" She teased.

Jag slid sideways into the tinier room. "I missed a spot earlier. I was hoping you could scrub it for me."

"If you insist, darling."

"I was hoping you would see it my way."

The couple laughed until it was lost in the sound of running water.

Turning her cheek up, Jaina accepted a peck of the lips from her mother. "Bye, Mom. Have fun bringing order to the minions."

Leia ruffled her daughter's hair playfully as she chuckled. "I really missed you." She cast an eye at her son seated in the chair next to Jaina at the small kitchen table. Both siblings were munching on breakfast puffs hot from the oven, while holding datapads in their spare hand to read. "Come on, Son. You promised me a ride before you headed off to the Academy."

Jacen pursed his lips dejectedly while meeting Jaina's amused gaze. "Coming," he called after his mother's retreating form. He palmed his jaw. "I'd rather climb in bed and sleep this off."

Jaina tentatively reached out with her fingers to touch the indicated spot. "It's not broken."

"I know. That doesn't make it hurt less though."

Jaina giggled. "Why are all men such babies?"

Huffing, Jacen pushed off his chair. "No comment."

"Who's a baby?"

The twins turned their heads simultaneously to see Jag standing framed in the threshold with Keira fidgeting in his arms. Jaina tipped her head at her brother. "Jacen."

Jag eyed his brother-in-law, taking note of the bruise blooming across his jaw in colors reminiscent of a field of flowers. "Ah."

"I'd better go." Jacen lowered his head and shuffled past Jag, taking a second to kiss Keira. He avoided Jag's watchful eyes.

Once Jacen was out of earshot, Jag stepped into the kitchen. "What happened to him?"

Jaina reached around to maneuver the highchair to the corner of the table so Keira would be situated between her and Jag. "Your brother." She said it with some mirth to her voice. Jag merely blinked in confusion as he worked to convince Keira to place her thrashing legs into the limited area of the seat's opening. Jaina explained as he continued his struggle. "Let's just say your brother has a mean left hook."

With Keira finally locked into the confines of the seat, Jag was afforded the liberty to snap his head up, his mouth gaping momentarily.

"My brother hit your brother?"

Jaina nodded, chewing on a bite of the tasty puff.

"Do I want to ask why?" After a moment, Jag waved his hand defensively. "Never mind. I can only imagine one thing would cause my brother to go up against a Jedi."

Jaina leaned over to tie Keira's bib. "He took on Zekk for me, remember?"

"That was different. Besides, look where that got him." Jag crossed the room, retrieving a container of baby cereal from the cooling unit.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Jag shoved the container in the food heater and keyed some buttons. "I can't believe Jacen couldn't have avoided it."

"Let's just say he wasn't himself, and leave it at that."

Arching an eyebrow suspiciously, Jag removed the warmed cereal and dumped it into a small bowl left out on the counter. He used the tiny spoon next to the bowl to stir the steaming viscous cereal as it started to congeal. Glancing back down to check his progress, Jag clucked. Jaina recognized the habit as indicative of Jag's consternation.

"Don't worry. The Fels and Solos aren't starting the second Battle of Naboo. Everyone's cool," she reassured her husband.

"If you say so." Jag walked to the table with the bowl in his hand and took a seat next to Keira. "I am sure I will get Rane's version soon enough. I promise to stay neutral."

"Really, it's a mute point. Everyone kissed and made up." Jaina winked. "Most importantly Rane and Tahiri. Jacen's kind of embarrassed about the whole thing. So if you don't mind avoiding the topic when Jacen's around, I would greatly appreciate it."

The relief for Rane's welfare was clearly visible in Jag's eyes as he glanced up. "Why do I get the feeling there is more to this story than meets the eye?"

Jaina shrugged while batting her eyes innocently. "What ever would give you that idea, Mr. Fel?"

"With you Jedi, nothing is ever simple, Mrs. Fel. Fine, I won't harass your brother for whatever perceived offense Rane was worthy of a beating." Jag was rewarded by a toothy grin directed his way.

"Thanks." He started to scoop a spoonful of cereal when Jaina chided him. "You better cool that some more." Jag had a retort on the tip of his tongue when Jaina exclaimed, "Blaster bolts, look at the time. I have to get going." She shoved a flimsy across the table.

"Here's Keira's schedule, and I will leave on my comlink all day. Call if you have any questions. Your mom can answer any questions, too."

Jag gave Keira a pat on the head. "We'll be fine." He blew on the spoonful dutifully.

"Don't forget to check her diaper around nine, and her bottle should be no later than eleven." Jaina ran around the kitchen, circling Jag who was feeding Keira cereal in a lively game of eat-the-snubfighter.

Jag glanced up from the bowl, leaving the spoon half-immersed in the sticky substance. "Got it."

Jaina popped the rest of the breakfast puff in her mouth. "Herrr baff if afher breakfaff."

Jag responded while guiding the spoon into Keira's beckoning mouth, which gaped like a wide-open hangar. "I remember." Seizing the opportunity while Jaina swigged a cup of caf, he changed the topic. "I was thinking about your plans for Twin Suns. Don't you think you should reconsider the going-it-alone tactic? Maybe choosing one or the other Starfighter Commands to work under would be easier."

Jaina swallowed, then shook her head as she dashed across the kitchen. "No. I don't want to answer to some politic whim."

As Jaina scooped a pile of datacards into her arms, Jag pressed. "You may just end up playing politics five or six times over instead of picking one advocate who has enough pull to get things done for you, leaving you more time to…"

Jaina tripped over some unseen obstacle on the floor and the end result was the datacards spewing across the floor. "Shavit!" Jaina bit her lip, giving Jag an apologetic look. "I know. We don't want a daughter with a Rebel pilot's mouth." She bent down to gather her lost possessions.

"Like I was saying…"

Jaina cut him off with a curt remark. "I'll think about. I just don't have time right now. The speeder Iella sent over should be waiting outside." She rose with her arms full once again. With an unceremonious dump, they all landed in Jaina's workcase, loaned to her by her mother.

If Jag was annoyed at being dismissed, he hid it well. "Maybe later then."

"Sure."

Jag wiped a slug of cereal that had missed its mark off Keira's mouth with a towel. "How about over lunch?"

Jaina downed the last bit of caf from her cup and shook her head as she swallowed. "Too busy. Jacen is going to come by so we can meditate around lunchtime. I thought I would get a quick bite with him."

"That's fine."

Grabbing her workcase, Jaina adjusted her suit jacket, a casual but business-like dark blue pants ensemble her mother had suggested and then smoothed a stray wisp of hair that managed to fall out of her carefully coifed braids twisted in high looping knots. "See me to the door."

"Sure." Jag stood and gathered Keira from her seat with only a mewing of protest for the disruption.

Jaina walked quickly along the hall to the front foyer with Jag in tow. At the door she about-faced abruptly. "Well, this is it. Wish me luck."

Jag smiled tenderly, snuggling Keira to him. "I can do better." He leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on Jaina's lips. All his love and hopes for her passed in the touch.

Jaina smiled under his lips. "Mmm. Thanks."

Donning a serious expression, Jag rubbed his free hand down Jaina's arm. "You'll do fine. Have fun."

Jaina heaved her shoulders and exhaled sharply. "This is all kind of different. Me going to work; you staying home…"

"Think of it as a fresh start, an adventure – for all of us." Jag hugged Keira tightly to him, emphasizing his point.

Jag's words were inspirational. A sparkle danced in her eyes. "You're the best."

"I know."

Sitting in the back seat of the speeder, Jaina hardly noticed the drive as they wound through the streets and thoroughfares of Theed. She was so totally engrossed in reviewing the background material Wedge had forwarded to the house the night before that the scenery out the window flew by unnoticed. The volume of data he had sent was overwhelming, even for a Jedi capable of intense concentration and the ability to absorb vast quantities of information.

Her only indication the speeder had arrived at its intended destination was the polite voice from the front passenger seat. "Colonel Solo-Fel, we're here."

Jaina glanced up from her datapad to meet the pale blue eyes blinking out of a baby-faced Intel officer. "Thanks, Officer…"

He smiled sheepishly. "Mingron."

"Officer Mingron." She studied him for a moment, realizing for the first time how utterly young the man was. "How old are you?"

"Eighteen, sir."

_Great, I have a teenage bodyguard. I feel like an old woman, and I am barely twenty-one._ "Just out of the Intel corps ranks?"

"No, I worked my way up during the war. Did some time on Trajor Prime; found myself in charge before it was all over." His pride was apparent, but he tempered it quickly. "It was a small operation, only a handful of us at the end really."

"Sounds like you earned your post. We all grew up a little too quickly during the war."

The young man tipped his head in agreement. Something outside the speeder caught his attention. The man was instantly back on-guard. "We're ready."

Jaina inhaled once, then tipped her head as a signal. At once the doors opened, and the Intel officer stepped out directly before Jaina, using his body as a shield. The boom of the crowd surrounding Intel headquarters was deafening as Jaina rose from the passenger compartment. The specialized speeder had muffled all noise from the outside, so up until this moment, Jaina was completely unaware of the events unfolding around her.

Officer Mingron leaned in and shouted in her ear. It was the only way to be heard over the clamor. "Don't know how they knew you were coming here first, but Director Antilles is looking for the leak." He grabbed her elbow. "This way."

As a coordinated unit, Officer Mingron and his five cohorts, who emerged from an escort speeder formed a living barrier between Jaina and the crowds threatening to overtake them. Jaina knew word had gotten out that she had arrived on Naboo, but the sentiment of excitement – excitement simply to see her – was overwhelming. The crowd extended as far as the eye could see in every direction. The harsh glow of holonews cameras forced Jaina to shield her eyes as she peered directly into the sea of bodies.

Just short of the entrance to the new Galactic Alliance Intelligence headquarters, the press was so intense that Jaina's protectors had a difficult time warding the admirers and journalists off. Jaina became slightly alarmed as the six officers were forced back into her, and movement became all but impossible.

When it became clear the situation was turning for the worse and someone was obviously going to get hurt, Jaina sank into the Force. It was easy to manipulate the minds nearby, but it became clear that the entire crowd would have to respond in order to stop the crush. Jaina dug deeper into that fleeting memory of the time she and Jacen had turned back the Thrall herders and summoned some measure of that same degree of focus. Then she pushed and pushed some more. Even in her self-centered intensity, she could feel the weight of the crowd lighten. She sent out calming, peaceful thoughts in a protective band, taking care to not touch her personal escorts.

Suddenly, she felt herself being tugged along by a sleeve. Bounding up a series of short steps, Jaina and her party were greeted by a larger unit emerging from the headquarters entrance. Mere seconds later, Jaina was safely inside. She dropped her mind control gratefully before heaving with a sigh.

"Quite a crowd."

Jaina spun to greet Iella, who was crossing the expansive atrium that welcomed all comers to the Intelligence headquarters. "You can say that again."

"Do you see why I insisted on the extra protection?"

"Are you protecting me or them?" Jaina pointed out at the masses still trying to get a closer look through the front doors. She bit her tongue and refrained from pointing out that, if not for her Force skills, they might all still be in a tight bind, crushed by the oppressiveness of admiration.

Iella chuckled. "A little of both." She motioned with a swipe of her palm for Jaina to head toward a nearby hallway, one of several that converged into the atrium. "In the interest of everyone everywhere, I've set up an office for you to use here until you make other arrangements." She dismissed Officer Mignon and the rest of the guard detail with a nod.

Heading in the indicated direction, Jaina spoke. "I appreciate that."

Iella rested her hand on Jaina's shoulder as the two women fell into a comfortable pace. "Really, it's not a problem. It makes my job easier, being able to keep you here, under the watchful eye of some of my best."

"Well, I am not sure all this protection is necessary."

Stopping at a door, Iella inserted a keycard. A green light indicated acceptance, and the door swished open. "Humor me, at least until after the dedication ceremony." Iella ushered Jaina into the generously appointed office. "After then the hype should die down from galactic-size to the more manageable planetary-size."

Jaina paused, glancing around the room. There was a sizeable desk with two chairs facing it, one larger chair behind the desk as well as an assortment of equipment able to perform almost any task. Finally, she turned to face Iella.

"I am a Jedi. I am more than capable of ensuring my own safety. I worry more for those men than myself. I don't want to risk more lives unnecessarily."

Iella gracefully lowered into one of the seats and crossed her legs. "And your husband and child?"

"Are you kidding? You try telling my husband he needs a bodyguard. He still thinks this is all for my sake." Jaina snorted then matched Iella move for move, taking the adjacent seat.

"Jag's just as vulnerable as you are…"

Jaina shook her head. "No, I refuse to accept that. He's a seasoned warrior trained to defend himself. We can't live in fear of admirers or adversaries. We won't. I have to believe we can find some balance, some normalcy. For Keira, on the other hand, I have made some plans." Iella arched an eyebrow out of curiosity. "The Noghri have offered their protection. I am going to ask them to watch Keira. Jag and I can't always be there. Not that I don't trust anyone else, but say it's Syal baby-sitting her. I just can't take any chances."

"I agree, and it sounds like a viable alternative. The Noghri can be very discreet."

Smiling appreciatively, Jaina leaned back in her seat. "I am glad you see it that way." Jaina inhaled sharply, then paused.

Iella took the hint. "I suppose you want to go over the important stuff first."

Jaina's expression turned painfully serious. "Yes, what do you have on Zekk?"

The blonde-haired woman frowned, aging her features significantly with the addition of grim lines. "Not much." Iella scooted in her seat uncomfortably. "To be honest – nothing. Since Jacen and Kyp had their run-in with Zekk, he has disappeared off the scopes. We are keeping an eye on some resistance pockets of Yuuzhan Vong who may cause trouble though. Not everyone is happy the war is over. Shimmra had quite a following – Vong and otherwise."

"I figured as much. The Vong you can worry about. As far as Zekk's concerned, we may have to wait for him to play his hand. If I know one thing about my _old_ friend – dark or not – he will keep his promise. He will come back at some point."

"That's what I am afraid of."

Jaina leaned forward in her chair. "Zekk is really Jedi business, Iella. Other than providing the Council with intelligence, you would only be endangering your operatives by seeking him out directly. At some point, the Council will have to make some tough decisions. Darkness eats away at you. If we don't get Zekk back, he may become truly dangerous to more than just me."

"Luke has told me much the same thing. I can only ask that you keep me in the loop, and I will do likewise?"

"Certainly. I want to make Zekk one of Twin Suns first priorities anyway, and I expect we will be working together a lot." Jaina winked mischievously.

Rising from her seat, Iella took charge, rounding the desk. "Yes, the reformed Twin Suns. It's all the buzz." She punched several keys on the datastation behind the desk. "I have forwarded any pertinent information you might need to this terminal. If you have any questions feel free to comm me at any time."

Jaina rose. "Thanks. I appreciate everything you and Wedge have done."

Iella circled back around the desk. "It's no trouble at all. I think it's rather exciting to see someone try to stick it to the political types. No offense to your mother."

Jaina grinned. "None taken. Truth be told, she doesn't like most of them either. So you don't think I am biting off more than I can chew?"

"I think you are going to put the Galactic government on notice. Whether you achieve your desired objective is yet to be decided. I have no doubt that, when push comes to shove, you will be well situated to achieve your goals as a squadron commander." Iella rubbed her hand affectionately down Jaina's arm. "I will support you to the best of my ability, as will Wedge and Tycho and many others beside."

"But…"

"But don't be afraid to use our experience and political weight to your advantage. I think my husband could be your biggest ally in this fight. Don't dismiss others simply because you want to prove your point. Believe me - there is not a soul who doubts your abilities after the Battle of Naboo. Don't waste all your energy on meaningless fights, especially with such a beautiful baby at home. Now you have a family, you must choose your battles wisely."

Jaina wrapped her slender fingers around her aunt's hand as she started to pull it away. "Thanks. I am just afraid I will end up being a pawn in everyone's game."

Iella squeezed back. "Just a hint. Old General Antilles wrote the playbook on out-maneuvering the politicians. Rarely has a time come where he did something contrary to his own agenda. Sometimes though, that is the price we pay in the end to achieve our overall objective."

"I will take it under advisement." Releasing Iella's hand, Jaina tracked to the other side of the desk.

Fishing around in her pocket, Iella retrieved a flimsy. She tossed it across the desk; Jaina caught it easily with one hand. "Here's your first lesson on how not to deal with those political types."

Jaina eyed the flimsiplast, recognizing it as a formal invitation. She returned her gaze to Iella, who wore a guarded smirk. "What's this?"

"The Chief of State called over. He wanted to see you today – meet the hero and all that. I managed to run interference to a degree, but he insisted you come to the formal reception being held tonight for all the dignitaries here on Naboo to attend the Praxeum's dedication."

Throwing the invitation on the desk, Jaina sighed. "I really don't have the time. I still have to write my speech and spend time with Keira and my husband, not to mention the full plate I have for today…"

Iella cautioned Jaina with an open palm. "Let this be your first lesson on not playing the game. It's unavoidable. Go, make an appearance, flash that gorgeous smile at old Cal, and see if you can charm some credits out of his coffers. Think of it as one big sabacc game."

"You're right. I'll go."

"Good, I will make arrangements for your safe delivery. Now I will leave you to your work. Let me know if there is anything else you need." Iella turned to leave, then hesitated. "Oh, one more thing."

"Yes?"

"I know you are not exactly ready to sign on your squadron, but I have a field agent who might suit your needs perfectly. She is on Naboo being debriefed between assignments. I thought you might like to talk to her before she is reassigned."

Jaina fingered some files on the desk. "I have a few people in mind already, but any guidance would be greatly appreciated."

Iella chuckled. "This operative has the skills set, but she isn't the easiest to work with."

Jaina plopped in her chair. "And I am?"

"That's why I thought you two would get along marvelously. Her file is on the terminal. I'll send her over after the debriefing."

Jaina nodded. "I'll be anxiously awaiting her visit."

"I'll leave then." Iella headed for the door.

"Iella?"

The older woman pivoted gracefully. "Yes?"

"Does she have a name?"

"Oh yes. Her name is Fee Carolé."

_A small button-shaped beetle landed on the floor beside each of Jaina's wrists and ankles. The blorash jelly released its adhesive hold on her flesh and slid away to encase the struggling insects. A firm hand jerked Jaina to her feet and spun her toward the center of the room. The chamber was dim, so dim she could not see the others. _

_A booming voice called out. "You are the one in control."_

_Jaina began to feel sick and frightened, but forced herself to raise her head and step forward without being summoned. Jaina's confidence was not enough to keep her from trembling as she approached. Suddenly, a comforting presence soothed her fears. Jaina stopped shaking._

"_Jacen?"_

"_I'm here." The reassuring voice was just behind her, matching her step for step._

_She moved toward the unseen menace, some invisible force driving her closer. Through the Force she could feel the creature's malicious hunger. Jaina swallowed; she was willing to endure the pain again. She started to kneel._

_The hand tightened, holding her up. "That is not what I was thinking." He guided her past the evil creature to the far side of the chamber where the outline of two men could be made out facing the wall in the same awkward position she was just in. "Choose."_

"_What?" Jaina felt stunned at the demand placed upon her. "Choose what?"_

"_You are in control, Jaina Solo. Who will be next?"_

_Jaina shut her eyes tightly, wishing she were anywhere but here. When she opened them she was still in the chamber; the two shadowy figures were still huddled against the wall, their backs to her making them indistinguishable. She thought they seemed familiar, but it was hard to be sure, the shadows obscured everything. _

"_Your choice," the voice demanded._

"_You can't ask that," Jaina said. She glanced down. "I don't know."_

_A comforting hand touched her shoulder. "That isn't me…"_

_Jaina glanced over her shoulder to Jacen. "How can you be sure?"_

"_I just am."_

_Before she could ask her next question, Jaina felt the pinch of long, sharp nails digging into her neck. Jacen faded into the surroundings as the ominous voice returned, the accompanying breath reeking of death as it rolled unseen past her cheek in a twisted caress. "Choose, Jaina."_

_She shut her eyes in disgust. Another familiar voice offered her support. "Jaina, you _can_ choose."_

_Opening her eyes to seek out the new voice, Jaina called out in a whisper. "Anakin?" _

_Then another voice, Jag's voice. "You can choose me." His voice came from the figure to her left._

_Her eyes were transfixed on the unknown. If one was Jag, who was the other? In his identity lay the answer. Jaina honed her resolve and broke the paralyzing grip. Jacen remained as her anchor, giving her the strength to stretch the vision in the desired manner. She walked over, keeping her gaze on the man. Jaina could make out the outline of lanky shoulders hunched over to mask a still-developing frame. As she eased closer, the brown in his hair grew more vibrant. It fell all around in careless disarray._

_Jaina knelt, reaching out for the mysterious figure. His back was to her, so she put a hand on the closest shoulder. It could have been Anakin, in build and type, but she was certain, just as Jacen had been moments ago, he was not. Slowly, the head turned, casting his gaze her way. Jaina studied his unrecognizable face; big brown eyes stared back at her…_

_Jaina felt a powerful grip ripping her back, even the combined strength she shared with Jacen was not enough to overcome it. Pinchers dug into her neck, commanding her to do their master's bidding. Jaina fell into some invisible shield, transfixed in place. The master of her dream spun Jaina in place, his beady yellowish eyes boring into her._

_Jaina gasped at the sight._

"_You _will_ choose, Jaina." Zekk spat at her._

_She tried to fight him, to summon the Force to no avail. She felt abandoned and helpless, hopeless and desperate. She was alone. She had no choice, and all around her was darkness. It was trying to envelop her very being._

"_Choose or I will choose for you."_

"_No."_

_A bolt of energy crackled in the air. She heard a scream – no – screams, more than one to be certain. Before Jaina could make out the owner of the cries, a voice called out. "Jaina, don't give in."_

_Jaina spun, seeking the comforting voice. Everywhere there was darkness, like a heavy obsidian fog encasing her in a cold cloak. She felt it seep into her pores and begin to consume her. A brilliant flash of light pierced the aphotic web as a cry echoed from everywhere and nowhere, pleading to be heeded._

"_Jaina! Jaina! NOOOOO!"_

"Jaina?"

Sitting across from her twin, cross-legged, Jaina's eyes snapped open. She forced a small smile despite the ordeal she had just been through. Jacen allowed his shoulders to drop and forced his body to relax. Even from his perspective, the vivid recall of his sister's vision was terrifying.

Jaina, for her part, seemed to be handling it better than he was as she fired off a question. "Thoughts?"

"Uhh…" Jacen ran his fingers through his brown locks. "That was pretty intense. It's hard to picture Zekk any way but as our friend even after he tried to blast Kyp and me into smithereens. Back then, I knew it was him – I could sense him that is – but seeing it first hand is just freaky."

"He's getting stronger."

Jacen met her stare. He simply nodded.

She jumped off the ground in a smooth leap, leaving Jacen on the floor of her office. "I guess I had better sharpen up those skills. It's only a matter of where or when according to what I saw."

Jacen rose with a little less flare and put his hand on Jaina's shoulder, her back to him now as she rifled through some flimsies on the desk. "Jaina…" Jacen paused, afraid to continue. He could taste the frustration boiling off his twin. Jaina's hands halted in their quest and closed into a tight fist. Once, hard, she slammed her knuckles onto the desk's surface.

Jacen reached around to grasp Jaina's wrist. As he tugged it back, she fell into him. With his free arm wrapping around her shoulders, he enveloped his twin in a hug. Jacen knew Jaina's heart like it was his own. She wanted to confront this problem head on, but she knew, as well as he did, that they would have to trust in the Force for guidance. Apparently, they were not going to get all the answers today.

They remained this way for an indeterminate length until Jaina pulled away. She did not thank him, but Jacen felt the depth of emotion and gratitude in their bond. The corner of his mouth curled up in a sort of smile. "Better." It was a statement more than a question, for Jacen knew the answer.

Jaina tipped her head once before circling the desk. She lowered carefully into her seat, her mind obviously awhirl with thought. Jacen yanked one of the chairs back over from where it had been relocated to make room for their meditation. He fell easily into the seat.

"So. We need to figure out who the mystery man is."

Jaina furrowed her brows. "Agreed. Any ideas?"

"You were the one with the good look."

"I couldn't tell you I have ever seen that face, but I assure you I will never forget it." She shook her head as if to emphasize the point.

"So we'll just keep working on it."

Jaina keyed her datastation to bring up some files. She sighed. "Just not any more today. I've got tons to do." Pausing, she glanced back up to Jacen as if a thought struck her. "We haven't discussed Anakin. I know you begged me off at breakfast, but don't you think you should talk about it."

Jacen could feel the color rise in his cheeks. "It's all too weird. I mean…I kissed Tahiri; that's like kissing you almost."

"Yuck!" Jaina giggled, making a sour face, and Jacen frowned. "You didn't really kiss Tahiri; Anakin did. You just took the beating for it."

"And the ensuing embarrassment to follow. Family gatherings are going to be tough for a while, especially if everyone knows."

Jaina cocked her head slightly, offering a comforting smile. "Jag knows only enough to satisfy his curiosity, and Rane, well, I think he is simply happy to know Tahiri has made her peace with Anakin. This will all blow over in no time." Jacen arched a brow in doubt. "I promise."

He inhaled sharply, mulling over his thoughts. "I'll hold you to that." Jacen paused to run some fingers through his willful bangs. "It was all so surreal, like I was trapped under a pond looking at myself do things. I could feel everything, including Anakin's emotions and thoughts, but all sensory input was muffled."

"And?"

Jacen stared directly into Jaina's eyes. There was little he could get past her and the same held true in reverse. Sometimes being an open book was a blessing, like when he could empathize with Jaina's frustration, but other times it was a curse, like now. Knowing his twin would badger him until she was satisfied with the answer, he sighed.

"And I felt his connection to the Force. It's like he is plugged in directly, tapping the strength and flow at its very essence – the power of life itself. It makes me wonder…"

The touch of a hand on Jacen's shoulder grabbed his attention. He had become so lost in thought that he never realized Jaina had returned to rest on the edge of the desk directly in front of him. "…if you are right or wrong about the Force?"

Jacen nodded, his brown eyes never really meeting Jaina's. She knelt down to stare directly in his eyes. "Why does there have to be a right or wrong? Why can't it just be what it is for you and what it is for him?"

His shoulders bobbed with a silent chuckle as the semblance of the famous cocky grin formed on Jacen's lips. "It's always so easy for you."

Jaina mirrored her brother's smile. "You know that's farthest from the truth, but I try not to overanalyze things. When I do, I tend to muck everything up. You and Anakin could have driven a girl mad with all your philosophizing."

"You're crazy enough without outside help," he teased.

Jaina ruffled her brother's hair playfully. "The Force is the Force. Take from it what it gives you, being it living energy or guidance. Maybe you were meant to be attuned to the unifying strands, to see possible futures and outcomes, the bigger picture, and Anakin was attuned to all life, to see a different perspective. That's why he gave you command on Myrkr. You could see the designs of the Force, the bigger picture; I only wanted to follow my heart. It wasn't until I became pregnant with Keira that I truly understood what Padmé was trying to show me. The message was simple – Trust in the Force. You two always tried to prove each other wrong; maybe you were both right."

"It seems like you have thought about this more than you care to admit."

Winking, Jaina quipped, "Don't go telling anyone. People's opinions may change."

Jacen wrestled his sister into another hug. He whispered in her ear as he did so. "I love you." They stayed in the comfortable embrace for a moment then Jacen tightened his grip ever so slightly before pulling away. His voice was husky with emotion as he talked. "I better let you get back to work."

"Okay." Jaina squeezed her twin's hand then made her way back to the far side of the desk. As Jacen was turning to leave, Jaina called after her brother. "Jace?"

"Huh?" He lifted his brown eyes to meet Jaina's matching gaze.

"Don't think _too_ hard about it."

"I won't." Jaina arched a disbelieving eyebrow to which Jacen grinned. "Promise."

He held up his hand in a slight wave while moving to the door. Jacen hardly noticed the swish of it as he passed into the hall; he was so lost in his train of thought. Despite assuring his sister that he would not dwell too seriously on the matter, Jacen contemplated everything he had learned over the years about the Force and his very beliefs. Every argument he had with Anakin now seemed simply to be petty disputes, like distinguishing the finer subtleties of defining a snow storm versus a blizzard. Each side was right to some degree. It all came down to a matter of how the individual chose to interpret and use the subject matter, and possibly more importantly, who there was to relate to on the other side of the discussion.

Turning the corner, Jacen shook his head in confusion, never noticing the person coming from the opposite direction. Jacen felt the air rush out of his lungs with a sudden bone-jarring impact, but this was eclipsed by the overwhelming pain as a skull cracked against the still-painful bruise on his jaw. One hand instinctively came rushing up to cover the throbbing pain; the other hand, of its own accord, wrapped around the tinier body preventing it from crashing to the ground after bouncing off his larger bulk.

Like a blinding flash, Jacen was jolted with two seemingly trivial realities. This was a woman, and he was clutching her firmly against his body after the effort to right them both. All thought fled his mind, and Jacen merely stood frozen in place like a man blasted by a stun bolt. Not one of his muscles would respond; he could not let go.

Staring up, this auburn-haired beauty met his puzzled gaze with her piercing blue eyes. She was mouthing something, but Jacen had no way of discerning the meaning over the strange roar in his ears.

A firm shove from two hands ended his momentary paralysis. "Watch where you are going, buddy!"

Two blinks and the newly acquired spacing brought Jacen's faculties rushing back. "Oh…Sith…ummm…" Or so he thought. He was painfully aware of his loss of speech capabilities. _Maybe she did break my jaw._

She cocked her head, peering out from under her eyelashes with some disdain. "Tuskcat got your tongue, or are you always this vociferous when you run someone over?"

"Yes, well that. I suppose apologies are in order." Jacen, incensed by the insult, stretched up a little taller. "I am sorry. I should have been more aware of my surroundings."

The thin-framed woman was probably older than he, not by much though, but the harsh lines of her face, accentuated by her scowl, suggested she had already seen her share of hardship. She squinted, eyeing his visitor's badge. "Just remember that next time. Intelligence headquarters is no place for young men to be wandering around aimlessly. We do important work here. You might end up somewhere you aren't wanted."

_Like running into you_, he thought sarcastically. Arching an eyebrow, Jacen took the bait. "Oh really. As opposed to the less important work others may do."

A flick of auburn hair indicated this woman was up to the challenge. "Seeing as you are _visiting_ I suppose my work _is_ more important than whatever it is you might be up to, dropping in on a relative, or some such nonsense, I would venture to guess."

Jacen felt like she had plucked the thoughts right out of his head. He had no good comeback so he simply glared at the woman for a moment. He wished at that second he had half his sister's propensity for witty comebacks. In his momentary hesitation, the woman managed a smug victorious grin, then sidestepped to dart past him.

Without thinking, Jacen blocked her path. "Don't you want to say you're sorry as well?"

"No," she dismissed him off-hand. Jacen's chin sunk into his neck as he was taken aback by the remark. One hand went to her hip and the other pointed to his chin. "Looks to me like you have a habit of running into things from my perspective."

Jacen pursed his lips ruefully. "I guess you've got me all figured out then."

Oddly enough she swallowed. "That's my job." Then looked down. "If you will excuse me?"

Jacen stepped aside with the flourish of a hand gesturing his adversary past. "I wouldn't want to hold up your important work."

Without even so much as a tip of the head, the woman strutted past, her head held high in defiance once again. Jacen followed her with his eyes for a moment, his stare taking in the slim lines of her body. There was an economy to her build and movement that screamed danger. That was when he first realized what was so troubling about this woman. He could not sense her in the Force. She was there, but this woman was definitely shielding to the point that her life force seemed almost invisible. For the first time, it became clear why the collision had taken place. He had never felt her coming.

A/N: Flashback sequences in _Legacy_ have been taken from scenes in the _Dark Tide_ duology by Michael Stackpole, _Star by Star_ by Troy Denning, _Dark Journey_ by Elaine Cunningham, the _Enemy Lines_ duology by Aaron Allston.


	8. Fee

CHAPTER 7

Jaina plopped into her chair as the hiss of the door closing signaled her twin's departure. Quickly scanning her desk, she performed a mental check of what she had accomplished already and what she had left on her plate. Even though half the day was gone, Jaina felt that her task list was getting longer and not shorter with every passing hour.

Blowing out a sigh, Jaina turned back to the dataterminal and keyed up the files she had been reviewing before Jacen arrived with lunch. Jaina dropped her elbow on the desk's plane and propped her chin in the cup of her palm. Eyes scanning the lengthy and complicated details of funds appropriations, she found it difficult to focus on the page. Paragraphs dissolved into sentences, sentences into words and finally letters swirled into a mindless blur.

Jaina stuck her lower lip out, then exhaled sharply in disgust. Her eyes finally came into focus on the small holocube she had packed away in her workcase for just these moments. The holos rotated through a series of five pictures – she, Jacen and Anakin on Yavin 4, her mother and father standing in front of the _Falcon_, her wedding picture, Keira's portrait on her naming day and finally her favorite.

Reaching up, Jaina halted the rotation of the pictures on the scene. She had taken the holo the last day they were on Csilla. Jag had bent over to pick Keira up after changing her diaper. Only their faces were captured, but the look of love in her husband's eyes was undeniable as Keira's tiny chubby hand stretched out toward her father. Jaina smiled wistfully before resuming the rotation.

Closing her eyes, Jaina dropped into the Force, stretching out with her senses, searching for a fleeting contact with her family. What she found was something totally unexpected. Her brother's emotions, no longer their usually calm focus, were a garbled mess of confusion, astonishment and a little bit of consternation. Instantly troubled by this sudden change from not more than minutes ago, Jaina bolted out of her chair, making her way to the door.

As she activated the door with the swipe of her hand, Jaina used her connection with Jacen to determine his location. Her head was down, her reflection inward as she took her first determined stride into the corridor, only to draw up suddenly to avoid crashing into a body standing directly in her path, indicated only by a pair of boots in her line of sight. Jaina's head jerked back on her neck as she backpedaled one large step in order to get a better perspective on the unexpected obstruction.

"Sorry." She found a pair of piercing blue eyes staring back at her. "I didn't realize that you were out here."

"That makes twice today." The sarcastic edge of the female voice matched the tough lines around those same eyes.

Jaina squinted, taking in the entire face in a cursory glance. Waves of auburn curls rolled out of hair that obviously could not be tamed into the ponytail high atop her head. Porcelain skin stood out in stark contrast with the blues and fiery red accents. A rivulet of dark liquid trickled near the hairline, catching Jaina's attention.

Making a pained face, Jaina reached up tentatively with her fingers. "Looks like your first encounter ended up in solid contact."

The other woman's hand beat Jaina's to its objective. "Yes, unfortunately I played hit dummy for some dreamy-eyed visitor lost in his own thoughts. What I wouldn't give for the opportunity to hit him back on the sparring mat."

Jaina opened her eyes wide and fought a blooming grin. Suddenly Jacen's emotional turmoil took on a whole new meaning. "I've felt that way many times myself. Men just need some sense slapped into them once in a while." The other woman curled up her lip in appreciation of the remark. "Fee Carolé, I presume?"

Abruptly realizing she was at her intended destination, the woman straightened her posture. "Yes…Yes, I am." She eyed Jaina. "I apologize for the oversight, Colonel Solo-Fel; I was a little distracted by…"

Jaina retreated back into the office, inviting Fee to follow with the wave of a hand. "Don't worry about it. Let's get that gash taken care of."

Jaina tracked around the desk, checking over her shoulder to make sure Fee had followed. Satisfied to see the other woman take a tentative step across the threshold, Jaina snatched her mother's workcase from beside the desk, then made her way back to the chairs. "Please, have a seat."

Jaina took one for herself, all the while rifling through the contents of her bag. "My mother always kept a first aid kit, because my brothers were always getting one injury or another, and I bet there is one still in here." Grinning in success, Jaina withdrew a bactabandage. "I, on the other hand,never needed one of t_hese_." With her other hand she yanked out a small package of sterile wipes. "Being a mother myself, I have learned _these _always come in handy."

Discarding the workcase to the floor, Jaina scooted her chair closer to Fee's. The woman's blue eyes were regarding Jaina suspiciously. "Really, I'm fine."

"It's no trouble. It will just take a moment…" Jaina reached up with a sterile wipe to dab it on the trickle of blood, but Fee shot back in her chair. Jaina paused, lowering her hand. "I'm sorry. Maybe you would like to do it yourself?" She held the wipe out casually, trying to allay the woman's sudden seemingly unwarranted alarm.

Gingerly, Fee accepted the moist cloth. She held Jaina's stare for a breath before turning her attention to wiping clean the injury site. Jaina watched Fee carefully remove every last speck of blood without the aid of a mirror. The woman worked smoothly and efficiently, never batting an eye while she tended to an obviously tender wound. Jaina almost winced once or twice herself out of sympathy.

Finishing with her task, Fee wrinkled the cloth into a ball. Glancing around quickly, she spotted the trash receptacle without Jaina's aid and tossed the disposable wipe, hitting the opening dead center. Jaina held out the bactabandage between her forefinger and thumb as Fee spun back in her chair.

The intel officer eyed the bandage, pausing. "Maybe you better put that on."

"If you'd like." Jaina removed the outer sterile wrapping. Stretching out of her chair, she eyed the wound carefully, noting the purple discoloration already forming around the edges. The blood flow had ceased except for a hint of oozing along the lower corner. "Looks like you took quite a hit."

Fee started to nod, then froze in place when she realized Jaina was lining up the bandage over the gash. "You should have seen the other guy. He already had a huge shiner on his jaw right where my head made contact. At least I know it hurt him more than it hurt me."

Jaina applied the adhesive edges of the bandage taking care to miss the wound. "There is that at least." She smoothed the edges before sitting back in her own chair.

Fee chuckled as she met Jaina's stare. "Just my luck, huh? Being summoned to meet the galaxy's biggest celebrity since Luke Skywalker and some big nose-in-the-clouds hunk knocks me senseless in the hall." She fingered the bandage. "I'm sorry; I'm not usually like this. I won't deny I am a little starstruck, but I can't be sure I didn't get knocked a bit too hard. Come to think of it, that no-good self-involved walking dunce cap was a Jedi. I recognized his outfit. He had no excuse for running into me. I thought all of you guys can sense things before they happen."

Jaina began to laugh. "It doesn't quite work that way, but I suppose it served him right for running into you whether he sensed you or not. People shouldn't walk around with their heads up in the sky, especially not Jedi." Jaina secretly goaded her own fit of laughter by recalling those very same words she used to harp on her twin many times.

Somewhat infected by Jaina's nature, Fee started to grin. "Exactly. You're not like a lot of Jedi I imagine. I get the impression you are a woman of action; you never faltered during the war, hindered by the great Jedi quandary – is offense acceptable for the sake of defense."

Jaina's stifled her laugh. "No, I was never caught up in all the debate, but that doesn't mean I don't understand the reasoning of my fellow Jedi."

Fee's face fell. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I just thought you were different than the others. Like the one in the hall, he was dismissive at best. I mean, he had the gall to ask for an apology, after he ran into me!"

"He did?" Jaina struggled to hide her shock. "Really?"

Fee nodded. "Hopefully he won't be back visiting whoever it was…" Her voice trailed off.

Jaina, who had admired Fee's porcelain skin, marveled at actually how white it could become as all the blood rushed from the woman's face while her mouth fell as wide open as a Supe's main hangar. Fighting the classic Solo grin threatening to curl one side of her mouth, Jaina arched an eyebrow conspicuously like she had caught a thief with her hand in the pot.

Attempting to form a coherent sentence, Fee shook her head in disgust and looked down. "A…Ahh…I…Oh Fate has it in for me." She met Jaina's scrutinizing gaze. "That was your brother, the famed other half of the Solo twins, Jacen Solo. Am I right?"

Jaina raised both eyebrows and smirked in response.

Dropping her hands to the chair's arms with a slap, Fee pushed out of her seat. "Well, I really screwed up big this time. Iella will probably ship me out to tail some two-cred scumb all over a back-water planet with utterly no civilization to speak of."

Jaina's first reply was ignored. "Really, it's all…"

"Serves me right."

Jaina's second attempt was just as fruitless. "Please, have a seat."

"Thank you for your time." Fee was moving for the door. "I will just see myself ou…"

"Sit. DOWN! Miss Carolé"

Fee met Jaina's stern uncompromising stare. Neither woman blinked for what might have well been over a minute, each sizing the other up. Finally, Fee acquiesced with a slight tip of her head, then lowered back into her seat.

Jaina forced a polite smile for both of their sakes. "Officer Carolé, it seems events led to an awkward start for this interview. Perhaps your encounter with my brother threw you a little out of kilter, perhaps not, but rest assured _nothing_ you can say about my brother I haven't said myself. I, for my part, let you go on, knowing, to a degree, what had happened."

"You did?" A tinge of relief softened the furrows in the woman's forehead.

Jaina's smile was warmer and genuine now. "Apparently you made an impression on my brother he will not soon forget. Jacen and I are intimately connected. There is little of import I don't know that happens to him and vice versa."

Fee's shoulders began to lower away from her ears. "I think the only impression I made was on his jawbone…"

Jaina held her hand up to silence the rest of Fee's self-flogging. She stood and held out her hand to the intel officer. "Let's start over. Colonel Solo-Fel, Twin Suns, nice to meet you."

Snapping out of her chair, Fee accepted the proffered hand, shaking it firmly. "Officer Carolé, reporting as ordered."

Jaina motioned for Fee to have a seat, then circled the desk to take her own chair. A pair of blue eyes followed her surreptitiously, watching as Jaina punched in a few keystrokes to retrieve the appropriate personnel files. After a quick refresher lasting not more that several hushed seconds, Jaina raised her brown eyes.

"Fee. Do you mind if I call you that?" The other woman shook her head once. "Fee, do you know why you were sent here?"

The auburn-haired woman was now all business, composed and once again self-assured. "I presume it concerns the reforming of Twin Suns Squadron, perhaps you are looking for some intel I could provide from a recent mission."

Shaking her head, Jaina interceded. "Not exactly. I am reorganizing Twin Suns, but with a little different set of operating parameters than we had during the war. I see here you have some pilot time under your belt. Uhh…" Jaina squinted to get a better look at the data on her screen. "…mostly freighters, but some limited fighter hours before the war. It doesn't specify exactly what."

Glancing up, Jaina noticed a slight tinge of coloring on Fee's cheeks. "Uglies. It was mostly Uglies."

Jaina stifled the surprised response that popped to the tip of her tongue. "You were good enough to live to speak about it. There's a plus. Dare I ask in what capacity?"

"I would rather not get into the gory details, but it was all part of my line of work."

"Your line of work?" Jaina arched an eyebrow curiously before waving off the answer with her hand. "Never mind. I guess that is why your record is very vague before the Fall of Coruscant. I read here you helped Face Loran rescue Iella Antilles and her girls. Director Antilles states in her recount for the official record – Fee Carolé exhibited bravery over and above the norm, from the crazed pursuit through the streets of Coruscant to the flight out, where she showed a deft hand at the pilot's controls when asked to take over by Mr. Loran. Without her skill and determination, there is considerable doubt any of us would have made it out alive."

"She wrote that?"

"Yes. I get the impression Iella has been your benefactor ever since. Based on your file, if not for her staunch support you might very well have been washed out several times over by some of your superiors."

"Yes, well that…" Fee started to explain.

"That's not why we are here though. Iella recommended you, Fee, for a position in Twin Suns, and I hold her opinion above all others." Jaina paused while the words sunk in for the befuddled intel officer. "I am looking for a squadron of skilled operatives first, great pilots second. The squadron would be taking on some of the toughest assignments out there. This will not be a walk in the park. We are going after some nasty people, and I am going to need the best…"

"That's me." Fee interjected.

Jaina smirked. "Confidence. That's a good start. I need to see what you can do in a snubfighter first. Iella's good graces can't save your behind in a furball."

"I suppose not."

Staring directly into Fee's eyes widened with excitement, Jaina posed the important question. "This squadron will be comprised of several Jedi to supplement the other operatives. Will that be a problem?"

Fee never wavered in her gaze. "No." Then she smiled. "As long as they don't make a habit of crashing into me."

A snort escaped Jaina's lips despite her best efforts. "I am sure I can take care of that." She paused. "Fee, I like what I see. And most importantly I like what I sense from you. I'm not going to promise you anything, but the chance to prove yourself. So, if you are interested I am going to call over to General Celchu and get you a slot in the trainer group immediately. You would fly under Brance Wartrue, a Twin Suns alum. He is a great pilot and a better man. He knows exactly what I like and dislike. I taught him everything he knows…"

"Yes." Jumping at the chance presented her, Fee responded out of turn.

"Yes?"

Fee nodded enthusiastically.

"You didn't even let me get to the part about having to resign your intel post. We will function as a military unit – exactly what military is yet to be determined. That is, if you are offered a slot."

"I understand."

Narrowing her eyes, Jaina sized up the other woman as she posed the next question. "That means you would have to follow orders…" Jaina tapped her dataterminal screen. "…something you have not always done according to these reports."

"Sometimes, I just had a better handle of the situation, and my superiors were on the outside looking in. So I improvised. I haven't failed a mission yet because of it."

"Yet." Jaina reminded Fee.

"I believe you are known…"

Jaina continued for Fee. "…for my propensity to take thing into my own hands, disobey direct orders. Well, to be honest, yes. I thoroughly prescribe to the Wedge Antilles' school of thought on that matter. Do as I say and not as I do." She inhaled sharply. "I do not accept insubordination, Miss Carolé. I am always right, and I have a lightsaber to back it up."

Fee grinned. "Point taken."

Jaina grinned back. "Point made, then. So I will make the arrangements?"

"The sooner the better."

Jaina stood. "Consider it done." She walked back toward the front of the office, skirting the desk. "Do me a favor then. Report to Naboo Defense Headquarters. I will comm ahead and have someone put you in an evaluator first off. When you're done, bring the results back here this afternoon."

Fee stood from her seat. "Consider it done."

Jaina escorted Fee to the door. "May the Force be with you then."

Walking by Jaina's side, Fee drew up. "I don't need the Force or luck. All I need is me." The door swished open, and Fee started out. Once in the corridor, she faced Jaina. "Thank you for this chance."

"If you make the cut, thank me in two years if you still feel that way. You may want to string me up my bootstraps by then, or yourself for taking the assignment in the first place."

"I'll remember that." Fee chuckled. With the swish of a ponytail, her back retreated down the long stark hall.

Jaina backed into her office before spinning on her heel and making her way to the seat behind the desk. After dropping gracefully in her chair, she activated the interoffice comm system. Moments later, Iella's bright face appeared.

"Jaina, how's everything going?"

"Good. I just met Fee."

"And?" Iella expressed some degree of undisguised curiosity.

"And I am going to try to steal your intel officer."

"Good. I was hoping you would say that."

"Is that because you are anxious to be rid of her or you think she will be good for Twin Suns?" Jaina quipped.

Chuckling, Iella responded. "I think you are one of a select few who can appreciate Fee and at the same time control her tendencies to be too self-sufficient."

Jaina pursed her lips momentarily. "So what do you know about her that's not in the file?"

The hardening in Iella's eye indicated this question troubled the Intel Director. "Honestly, little. She helped me escape from Coruscant. That was when we met. I know she was an orphan there and grew up in foster homes. I get the impression she may have got mixed up in a seedy crowd, but when we got to Borleias she begged for a chance. I felt I owed her as much, and she had proven herself many times over those couple of harrowing days on Coruscant, especially where the girls were concerned. She's proven herself time and again in the field, even if her methods are a bit different."

Jaina interrupted. "It says here she excels in infiltration, hand-to-hand combat and code slicing."

"That's what we actually know. What else she can do has yet to be determined. Fee is very…How do I say this right? Private. She keeps to herself, but I think her heart is in the right place. At some point, someone wronged that girl terribly. I just know it."

Reflecting for a moment, Jaina finally shook her head in agreement. "I get the same read. Although, it was hard at first to get anything off her. She's locked up tight as a vacuum seal. She opened up a little near the end."

Iella arched an eyebrow. "So, I am going to just ask this point blank because I have had my suspicions for some time…"

Jaina beat Iella to the punch. "Yes, Fee is Force sensitive; she doesn't know it yet."

Iella jumped excitedly in her chair, her grin stretching from ear to ear. "Haaa! I knew it. This is a good thing, too."

Jaina frowned. "That depends on if we can change her opinion of Jedi or not. Right now I think Fee Carolé would just as soon kiss a Wookie than be told she has Force potential. We'll just take it one step at a time."

"Czeloja freighter _ShadowCast_, you are green on fuel transfer. You have thirty minutes until completion. The next berthing for Docking Station 3 is in two hours. Please inform all personnel using the station facilities to disembark accordingly."

Kyta released the comm button, waiting for a response from the _ShadowCast_. She rolled her head around on her neck fighting off the inevitable cramps from hunching for hour upon hour over the communication station deep in the bowels of her family's fueling depot. Her older brother Tanner, who had joined the Galactic Alliance to fly E-wings during the war, had once swapped time at this position. Unfortunately, the duty was hers alone these days, making for long days and sometimes even longer nights.

Now that the war was over, intersystem trade had began to boom as supplies filtered through the trade routes unhindered by Yuuzhan Vong attacks that had become the norm during the past several years. Commencion Station, orbiting the inhospitable world of Uridice in the Mid-Rim Region, was ideally located for spacers passing along the Rimma Trade Route on their way to destinations like Naboo and the Core Worlds.

After several heartbeats during which no confirmation was offered, Kyta leaned forward to hail the unresponsive freighter. "_ShadowCast_, please confirm."

Kyta inhaled deeply while she almost casually double-checked the settings on her comm board to ensure the problem was not on her end. When all systems checked out, she keyed the comm again. "_ShadowCast_, do you read me?"

There was still no response. Kyta heard the leaden footsteps of her father, a heavyset man, clunking on the durasteel floor of the control room. "Troubles, Kyta?" He leaned over her chair, the force of his weight causing the joints of the seat to squeak due to the added strain.

"I'm not sure. The new client on Station 3 is not responding to my hails."

Resting a comforting hand on her shoulder, Kyta's father leaned close enough that she could hear the wheeze of his breath. She looked up to see his cheeks, flushed with the exertion of the walk across the room, roll up in a reassuring smile. "Perhaps they are not familiar with our procedures. All those spacers are probably off-loaded onto the Cantina level already, up to their eyeballs in a drink and gambling. Comm your mother in the cashier's office. She should still be setting up that new captain's file. Your mother will straighten them out."

Kyta chuckled, her shoulders bobbing under her father's reassuring hand. "She always does."

Her father left to confer with the workers manning the fuel transfers on the ten docking arms while Kyta changed to the intrastation communication network. She paged the cashier's office, fully expecting her mother's cheery voice to respond in an instant. Silence was the only reply. A tinge of concern began to flutter in Kyta's stomach. Instead of paging the cashier's office, this time Kyta opened a line.

"Mom," she queried hesitantly, fearing her mother was simply too busy to respond to the original hail. The pounding of her heart was the only noise filling Kyta's head. "Mom, are you there?"

When the question went unanswered for the count of ten in Kyta's head, she swiveled in her chair and whipped off her communication headset. "Dad, I think something's wrong. Mom is not answering."

Her father met Kyta's gaze, then tipped his head in a slight nod before trudging over to the security station. He ordered the tall, balding man sitting there to queue up the camera in the cashier's office. Kyta slid out of her chair and tiptoed across the durasteel plating. Peering past her father's broad form, she eyed the small screen displaying a seemingly empty office.

"Where could she be," her father pondered. "There, what's that?"

The security chief zoomed the camera to a spot behind the desk where Kyta's father had pointed. Neither man seemed to notice Kyta gasp as the shape of an awkwardly bent foot came into view. The brown loafers were unmistakable; they belonged to her mother. Her father stood in shocked silence as the other man asked for instructions.

"Sir, sir…Shall we implement a lockdown…"

Kyta lost the rest as she ran back to her station and dialed up the medic. Her hands were shaking on the button as she cried into the headset. "Lopin…Lopin! Are you there? Lopin?!"

Suddenly fearful for more than just her mother, Kyta jumped from her chair just as the first lockdown alarm blared through the station. She ran for the exit, never hearing the urgent pleas from the others as she snatched one of two blasters charging along the wall. Kyta, remembering the training her brother had drilled into her head on his last furlough, flipped the weapon to kill without hesitation before triggering the door release.

Picking her head up and starting to run through the opening door, Kyta's feet slid on the metallic floor, polished from the thousands of feet that had tread before her. Coming from down the corridor, a half dozen black-clad men with a deadly fire in their eyes prowled forward, their weapons trained on her. Kyta had enough sense to slap the door locking mechanism as she rolled away from a barrage of blaster fire back into the control room.

She heard two muffled screams followed by the thuds of bodies hitting the control room floor somewhere behind her. All other noise, including the fearful cries of the room's inhabitants, was drowned out by the distinctive pops of blaster fire hitting the door. Kyta came to her feet, her weapon aimed in the direction of the attack fully expecting to see the door completely shut and locked. Instead it was almost a foot open and growing wider with each passing second, like some invisible hand was prying it apart despite itself. She gasped; the power needed to overcome the door's hydraulic mechanisms was unfathomable.

As red blaster shots found their way through the ever-widening breach, Kyta leveled her weapon and returned fire. Using her station as a shield, she hit the first attacker squarely in the chest as he attempted to enter. The second assailant was a bit more cautious, spreading down cover fire before dashing through the half-open door. Kyta caught him on the thigh causing the man to tumble right toward her. His weapon skittered across the floor, and as if the Force was on her side, ended at her feet. Without batting an eye, Kyta shot the man at nearly point blank range as he stretched for the weapon.

She grabbed the blaster with her free hand and glanced over her shoulder quickly. Every other station worker, including her father, was huddled behind a piece of equipment or overturned desks. Some were crying in fear. Kyta had little time to dwell on the irony of the situation for the next black-clad soldier was making his way through the door. Kyta missed him as he ducked for cover behind another control panel across the room. Two quick shots were all he needed to silence the cries of the workers hiding on that side.

Kyta bit her lip, penetrating the skin; the pain was more tolerable than the ache in her heart. One of those killed was Jio, her lover. They had only recently discovered that years of antagonism had masked mutual feelings of affection. Now it was all lost. Wanting to return the favor, Kyta tossed the extra blaster to the man huddled behind the station next to hers and shouted in a stern voice.

"Use it, Griq!"

Then she rained a barrage of fire at the door. A self-satisfied curl marked her expression as she hit the next man in. He fell to the floor, blocking the entry of the other murderous thugs trying to follow. Her satisfaction was fleeting. As if the door had lost its battle, it popped wide-open with a sharp _clang_ to reveal a cloaked man filling the frame. Kyta paused for a moment, astonished by the pure evil she felt descend on the room after the dramatic entrance. She could just barely make out the satisfied sneer beneath the black hood concealing his face.

With renewed vigor, Kyta fired on the defenseless man. He raised his hand and blaster shots warped around him harmlessly. Kyta froze momentarily, watching as Griq's shots did just the same. Now angered, Kyta added her fire on top of Griq's, hoping their combined effort would have an effect. As she squeezed the trigger repeatedly, her aim became more desperate and erratic.

Finally, the hooded man spoke, and his voice filled the room, echoing off the walls. "Enough!"

He swept his hand in a wide arc, and Kyta felt herself flying through the air until she stopped abruptly, impacting with a solid object. Air left her lungs as the world dimmed to black. She barely made out the cries and shots filling the air in a never-ending hell. The stench of burnt flesh mixed with scorched air singed her nostrils, leaving the strongest impression. Kyta heard another sound, guttural and low, then she realized it was herself moaning. The pain was overwhelming.

"Please, please, take anything you want. We are a defenseless station. I will give you whatever…" Kyta recognized her father's pleas. She drew her free hand up under herself, the other hand blindly ensuring the blaster in it was set to kill. Kyta pushed up with all her might. "…you want. Just name your price…"

The pain was excruciating as her arms did her mind's bidding. That was until she heard the _snap-hiss_ and accompanying low pitched hum followed by the anguished scream of her father. Kyta arms failed her as a single tear fell. She landed in a heap, her breath rushing out in an agonizing hiss. One more sob escaped her mouth before a pair of hands grasped the back of her jumpsuit, and Kyta felt herself being hauled to her feet.

A cold voice reverberated from behind her. "Found the last one, sir." Kyta stumbled forward and fell to her knees as the hands thrust her forcefully. The cold press of a blaster muzzle against the back of her skull was unmistakable. "This one was the troublemaker. I will enjoy repaying what you did to Durfy and…"

"Leave her." That terrifying voice from the cloak sounded her reprieve. This did not stop Kyta from trembling uncontrollably.

"But sir…" The sounds that followed were ones of choking and gasping. The muzzle pressing in her skull shook violently then pulled away. There was no comfort in that fact.

"Who's in charge, Squire?"

"You rr serr." The response was barely recognizable like a fist was clenching off the man's airway.

"That's what I thought."

Kyta heard the man behind her gasping. A set of fingers pinched into the back of her neck and she was hoisted again to her feet. The hooded face was so close she could feel the warmth of the figure's breath caressing her skin. His face was nothing more than a blur except for the evil leer formed by the mouth and two yellow eyes. Kyta would have trembled but the vice grip pinching her neck rendered her utterly paralyzed, as if she was ensnared in a trap.

He traced a finger along her brow, skimming aside her loose bangs dripping with sweat despite the chill of space in the station. "Such a pretty face." He brought his head down, kissing the corner of her mouth like he owned it. She gagged. "Don't worry, my dear. I will spare you and you alone. Today, your face has saved you. Tomorrow, you may thank another for that. I have a message I would like delivered, my pet, and you are the perfect person to do it."

Fingers flew over the keypad, inputting her thoughts in a coherent string. Time had no measure and space no shape other than the comfortable bubble of inspiration that was her muse. Jaina marveled at the ease with which ideas had sprung forth to produce the basic foundation of her speech tomorrow at the dedication ceremony. Writing had been on the schedule for later in the day, but a premise had sprung to mind, and Jaina had went with it willingly.

The first sounding of the door announcer went unnoticed, so engrossed she was in the process. The second chiming broke through her barriers, causing Jaina to start in her seat with surprise. Before she could respond though, the door began to slide open of its own accord.

Iella's voice trickled through. "Jaina, it's Iella. Sorry to interrupt but I brought a visitor…" Iella stepped into the office sheepishly, her arms occupied by a bundle of flailing limbs. Jaina was out of her seat instantly at the sight. "…who really wanted to see you."

Rounding the desk, Jaina glanced past to see Jag's bright smile beaming over Iella's shoulder, directed at her alone. For Jaina, it was a sight for sore eyes. "Oooo, what a wonderful surprise."

Without even a thought, Jaina scooped Keira out of Iella's arms and pressed her daughter into an all encompassing hug, showering her with kisses at the same time. "I missed my precious Princess soooo much." She inhaled deeply once. "Baby smell, how I missed the wonderful smell of baby."

"Would that be before or after diaper changing?" Jag's voice reminded Jaina she had others to greet. Glancing up she was met by a pair of sparkling green eyes, which had obviously missed seeing her as much as she had missed them.

Iella interjected her thoughts. "Babies always smell wonderful. Don't they, Keira?" Keira squealed in delight as Iella tickled her cheek.

Jaina turned to Jag. "What brought you two here?"

"I came to pick up my uniform from the _Legacy_ for the reception tonight. As instructed."

"Oh, so you did get my messages." Jaina tried to not sound like she was chiding him. She failed.

Jag's tone confirmed this fact. "I did, not initially though. The little lady in your arms was quite demanding of my time in the morning. Then Mother came by, insisting that she found the perfect house for us. So off we went."

"And?"

"And I think Mother is right. It's perfect, but really the decision is yours."

Jaina lowered her head like she was listening to Keira. She glanced back up after a moment. "It has the Keira seal of approval. I'll defer to everyone else's better judgment."

Jag pursed his lips. "We'll talk about it more later." Then he redirected the conversation. "We did not get home until early afternoon, and I immediately tried to comm you back. It is you who has not seen fit to answer any of my hails."

Jaina furrowed her brow. "I only just turned my comm off for the last couple of minutes while I worked on the speech." She glanced at her wristchrono. "Oh my! Where has all the time gone. I must have been writing for almost two hours."

Jag's face turned to his I-told-you-so expression. "Mom wanted to know if you needed a dress picked out from the shops, or I could grab something out of the _Legacy_ or _Falcon's_ storage compartments."

Jaina's face was apologetic with a hint of mischief. "That was sweet, of both of you, but I have something in mind."

"What?" Her husband sounded intrigued.

"It's a surprise." Jaina coyly changed the subject. "So what else have you two been up to?"

"We visited with Uncle Wedge and Tycho on the way here. Keira was quite the star with all the pilots in Starfighter Command. I had to warn them all off already. She was breaking hearts at every turn."

Iella dropped in her own thoughts with a chuckle. "Maybe Keira shouldn't be allowed around all those fighter jocks. She's so adorable; Wedge's pilots will never get any work done. The men will want to flirt with her, and the women will want to hold her."

"Your husband didn't seem to mind. He paraded all around Starfighter Command under the guise he was giving me a tour." Jag eyed his aunt and winked. "Wedge and I managed to get a lot accomplished, with Keira's sound input of course."

Jaina interrupted. "What exactly did you get done?"

Jag threw Jaina's own words back at her. "It's a surprise."

A rapping on the open doorframe caught everyone's attention. In unison, the room's occupants turned to the doorway. Iella greeted the new arrival.

"Fee, come in. Meet Jaina's family."

The auburn-haired woman hung in the threshold, eyeing the gathering carefully. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt a family reunion. I just wanted to drop off my scores from the evaluation like you asked." She met Jaina's gaze to finish.

Jaina crossed the room to Fee, skirting Jag to do so. "It's no trouble." She propped Keira on one hip and held out her free hand. "Let's see."

Tentatively, Fee handed over the flimsiplast with her scores compiled neatly in tables and columns. Scanning the flimsi quickly, Jaina's face remained placid and unreadable. She finished and looked up to meet the Twin Sun prospect's concerned stare. Giving no indication of her approval or not, Jaina began to speak.

"Fee, this is Keira Solo-Fel, my daughter…" The blue eyes focused on Keira, who was happily drooling on the part of her hand she could get in her mouth. "…and Jag Fel, my husband."

Fee forced her gaze to Jag and offered a curt nod. "Pleased to meet you both." She kept her hands firmly crossed over her chest and never budged from her place.

Jaina turned to Jag, offering him the pilot eval report without another word. His trained eyes reviewed the empirical data efficiently. He handed back the flimsi to Jaina casually. They exchanged a knowing glance as the other two women watched anxiously.

Iella was the first to beg for some hint to their thoughts. "So?"

Jaina tipped her head to Jag, never acknowledging Iella or Fee. "You first."

Jag arched the eyebrow marked with the scar. "Most impressive."

Jaina turned to Fee with a grin that would have won the Miss Galaxy contest. "There you have it, _most impressive_ from my husband. Not quite _a difficult kill_ but close."

Fee's shoulders relaxed visibly, and she forced a smile. "You had me worried there for a moment."

Iella came to her subordinate's side and wrapped a celebratory arm around her shoulders. "Good for you, Fee. Hopefully this is that step towards repaying that debt to the galaxy you always talk about."

The show of affection from Iella seemed to buoy the woman's spirits considerably, and her smile blossomed. Jaina noted in that instant Fee Carolé was quite attractive, when she let her guard down. An excited mew from Keira turned all eyes to the infant bouncing in her mother's arms.

Jaina responded with a question. "Miss Keira, do you have something to say about all that?"

Keira waved a stout hand, her fingers flexing until she found the flimsi. A moment later it was crinkling under the baby's powerful grip. Keira formed a sort of grin and emitted a pleased screech along with a spittle of drool.

"I think she believes she can do better." Iella remarked.

Jag reached out to smooth Keira's tuft of black hair. "With all those great piloting genes, I am sure they will have to rewrite the programs before she gets her shot."

Jaina giggled right along with her husband until Fee interrupted hesitantly. "If that is all you require, I will leave you to spend time with your family."

Jaina glanced from her daughter, happy with her newfound toy, to stare at the other woman. "No, that's not all." Jaina smiled. "I planned on taking you over to meet Major Wartrue myself. I needed to speak to him today, so I thought I would kill two Guya bats with one stone." She kissed Keira on the head. "Back to Daddy you go, my little Princess."

As Jaina shifted Keira in her arms, Jag responded. "Why don't we go with you? I believe the _Legacy's_ hangar is near the training squadrons' hangar. I can get whatever we need out of the _Legacy_ while you talk to Brance, and then we can head home to get ready together."

Jaina hugged Keira back to her body. "Sounds like a plan. Give me a second to get my stuff together." Balancing Keira carefully on her hip, Jaina locked down her datastation and retrieved a datacard from it, shoving it in her workcase. All the while she talked to her daughter. "Mommy missed Keira sooo so much today…"

Watching out of the corner of his eye, Jag flashed a winning smile to Fee and Iella. "Somehow I knew she would not pass up the chance to spend time with Keira."

Finished with her task, Jaina scooted closer to her husband, holding out her workcase. "And you, too, darling."

Accepting the burden, Jag cast a playfully downtrodden gaze at Iella. "At least I know where I stand in the scheme of things." Then he tugged his wife to him forcefully and kissed her squarely on the mouth.

Jaina kissed Keira on the forehead, then kissed her husband quickly on the lips before parting ways, Jag heading for the hangar housing the _Legacy_ and she heading for the training squadrons' hangar with Fee. The auburn haired woman was standing a short distance away trying to seem like she was not interested in her potential new boss's interactions. Jaina knew better; Fee had taken in every moment with a sharp eye. For what reason, she had yet to find out.

Striding up to the slightly taller woman, Jaina indicated the direction they needed to walk. "I miss her already."

Fee, matching Jaina's stride, eyed her nonchalantly. "Who? Your daughter?"

Jaina chuckled. "Yes."

"And your husband, too?"

Jaina smiled. "Yes, my husband too. He doesn't need me though in the same way. We can be apart and I know Jag will be fine. There is something about being a mother…" She faltered for words, then huffed. "I guess there are no words to describe that bond. Keira is connected to me on a different level."

"Why? Because she is blind," Fee queried her, almost casually. As if the question should have been expected.

"No, because she is a baby." Jaina walked silently for a moment, then continued. "How could you tell? Did someone tell you?"

"No." The answer was matter of fact. Fee inhaled. "Does it bother you that I figured it out? Or does it bother you that she is blind?" Her question was probing.

Furrowing her brows, Jaina cobbled together a reply she was not entirely sure she was happy with. "No and no."

Fee chose not to respond instantly. When she did, Jaina was not sure what to make of her announcement. "I wouldn't be too sure."

"Excuse me?" The indignation in Jaina's voice was unmistakable.

"I meant about your husband. You know, what you said about your husband not needing you. I wouldn't be too sure about that. You're the center of his galaxy in my estimation."

Turning her head, Jaina examined Fee's profile as she walked beside her. The statement indicated Fee was paying very close attention, maybe too close. Fee pretended not to notice. Finally, the woman stopped in her tracks. Jaina spun to face her. Those studious blue eyes stared directly into Jaina's penetrating gaze.

"I wonder if he is for real though."

Jaina propped her hands on her hips. "What?"

Fee never batted an eye. "Is he for real? Maybe I am not saying this right…" Suddenly Fee looked unsure of herself. In that instant Jaina felt the walls around the woman crack, blaring through the crevices were fear and despair and loneliness. Jaina waited. "What I am trying to say is that no one has ever treated me that way. I convinced myself that everything I have known was just the way things were and love like you two have only came in holonovels, then I see him and you…" She waved her hand around indicating an imaginary Jag and then back at Jaina.

Noticing the wet sheen of Fee's eyes, Jaina lowered her hands to a less offensive position by her sides. "Oh, he's real, every square inch of him. There is no doubt in my mind of that."

Fee tipped her head once in acknowledgement. She blinked, and the walls were repaired, stronger than ever. A practiced smile crossed her lips in respect for Jaina's quip. "Just checking. The eternal spy in me."

Noticing her surroundings, Jaina changed the topic, quickly, storing some impressions away for later thought. "Look, we are here." With a sweep of her hand Jaina indicated the entrance to the training squadrons' hangar. Over the door read a sign – I AM ONLY HALF OF ME UNTIL I EARN MY WINGS. ONLY THEN ARE WE WHOLE. "Your new home."

Together the women entered, winding their way through the maze of offices and locker bays until reaching the expanse of the hangar. Jaina eagerly absorbed the sights and smells of a bustling hangar. The whine of engines in various stages of shutdown was evident, and the smell of ozone pervaded the air. The creaks and strains of cooling fighter parts filled her ears like a familiar tune. All around pilot trainees in their awful bright yellow, distinguishing flightsuits clambered down ladders just back from a day's training.

Jaina spotted the X-wing adorned with yellow and red target locks all over the sides that had been Brance's signature paint scheme while in Twin Suns. She marched off in that direction, Fee close on her heels. Jaina purposefully ignored the excited murmurings as she crossed the bay. Once the intel officer caught up, she questioned Jaina on the odd paint scheme.

"Why does his fighter look like that? That's not standard issue."

Jaina turned to Fee, a twinkle in her eye as she reminisced about the good times. "All of Twin Suns' X-wings had specialty paint jobs to indicate their elite status, part of the Goddess mind game. Brance, over there, developed the uncanny ability to fire and hit anything coral without an acquired target lock, some gift of timing or something. None of us have ever actually figured it out or duplicated it."

Jaina spotted Brance emerging from his fighter and trotted ahead. "Brance Wartrue, get your butt down here and give me a hug!"

There was nothing about Brance that stood out as far as looks or build were concerned, but Jaina always remembered him for his smile. The man could light up a room with the joy he seemed to radiate at all times. She had never regretted for one moment his being a member of Twin Suns for that reason. Instead of waiting for the technician to bring the ladder, Brance left his helmet on the back of his ejection seat and dropped to the ground.

Righting himself after the tremendous drop, Brance braced to attention and popped an exemplary salute. "Colonel."

Jaina waved him off. "Cut the crap, Brance. I'm here as a friend, nothing more."

He dropped his salute, relaxing visibly. When Jaina opened her arms, Brance proceeded to envelop her in a rib-cracking hug. He spun her around, then planted a kiss on her cheek, smiling all the while. "Force, I missed you. Those may have been the worst of times, but they were the best of times as well in my book."

Blushing, Jaina averted her gaze to smile at Fee who stood a respectful distance away. "I paid him to say that." Fee nodded her head in appreciation for the joke, but remained silent. "Fee, we'll be one moment."

Grabbing Brance by the sleeve of his flightsuit, Jaina tugged him under the fuselage of the X-wing so they were standing closer to the open doors gaping out in to the late afternoon sky starting to tinge with reds and pinks and blues. "So, tell me how is this trainer duty treating you, my friend?"

"It's fun passing on what I learned from the best." Brance winked.

"But?"

"It's not the same as flying with Twin Suns."

Jaina chuckled. "What? You miss having a target painted on your back every moment of every day, endless hours of training, followed by countless hours in the cockpit, all held together by the ravings of a hormone-crazed woman."

"Now I know the truth, the rantings take on a whole new light." The admonishment in her former pilot's voice was not hinted at in the least.

Jaina knew that any one of her Twin Suns pilots would have laid down their life for her; surely the fact that she had hid the pregnancy had stung, some deeper than others. Time for regrets was over for Jaina. She tipped her head knowingly, then donned her serious commander face.

"Up for some more?"

Now Brance's smile was so big Jaina thought she needed welding goggles to see. "Rantings? Endless hours of training and even more in the cockpit?" Jaina nodded. "I thought you'd never ask."

Relieved to have that over, Jaina heaved a sigh and allowed herself to relax. "Great. I really want people I can trust. I count you as one of those people, Brance."

Brance's face reflected the sincerity Jaina felt glowing from his soul. "I am honored, Colonel." Jaina leered at the man. He smiled in turn. "Jaina."

Jaina suddenly remembered her other guest and trudged ahead with her agenda, wishing she had more time for enjoying old friends found again. "Brance, I am sure you have things to do." The pilot spared a glance past her; Jaina could feel the line of trainee's standing stock still at attention just beyond Brance's snubfighter. They smiled in unison. "So I will leave the details for later. I have a task for you, approved by General Celchu."

"Anything for you."

Jaina motioned for Fee to join them. "I brought a new pilot trainee for your attention, your first unofficial Twin Suns assignment you might say. Brance Wartrue, may I introduce Intel Officer Fee Carolé, a prospective Twin Suns member."

Brance stuck out his hand; Fee took it reluctantly, yanking her hand away as quickly as decorum would allow. Brance may have noticed, but he gave no outward indication. He merely smiled politely. "Nice to meet you, Officer Carolé."

"Likewise."

With some degree of confusion in his face, Brance turned to Jaina. "You say she hasn't flown snubfighters before?"

Jaina explained. "No, she hasn't. She's flown Uhh…other types. Fee's qualifying scores were _most impressive_ according to my husband, and I would have to concur. I don't expect the X-wing should be too tough of a transition. I am not looking for purely skilled fighter jocks to fill the squadron. Each member will bring another skill set or two. We will be effective on land as in the air."

Brance grinned knowingly. "The double threat?"

"Exactly," Jaina concurred. She met Fee's stare for a silent heartbeat, and a plan flowered in her mind. "Perhaps, the exchange of knowledge can be two way. Fee, you could get Brance sharpened up in combat arms and hand-to-hand."

The guarded stiffness in Fee's spine at the suggestion was not missed by Jaina's trained eyes. She was working a hunch, and Jaina needed an answer before accepting Fee into the fold. Eventually the other woman tipped her head and lowered her blue eyes in reply.

Jaina smiled appreciatively, then turned back to Brance. "So tell Fee what your contribution to the squadron will be, Brance."

The man laughed a deep hearty laugh. "Why morale, of course. Everyone will be a bit better pilot and much better at…" Jaina's slug to his arm halted Brance's humor at his own expense. "I assume appropriations, if I had to venture a guess."

"Correct." Jaina addressed Fee. "Brance has a knack for finding anything anytime anywhere."

Fee eyed her new instructor. "Handy skill."

Just as she finished, a dozen X-wings skimmed across the opening of the hangar standing out against the high fluffy clouds whisking by in stark contrast to the deepening blue sky. To any pilot it would have been a beautiful sight, but the shiny newness and perfection of these fighters made the sight all the more breathtaking. Jaina was captivated, unable to draw her eyes away.

"Who's that," she asked Brance, all the while following the formation as it slipped past toward a nearby hangar.

"Oh them. Yeah, I think you might know…"

Jaina knew the answer before he finished. She had instantly recognized the Anoatan symbol for the number twelve, boldly painted on the fuselage of one of the fighters. She beat Brance to the punch. "It's Kyp." The excitement was lost in the weakness of her own voice.

The X-wings were gone from her vision so Jaina forced her eyes toward Fee first. "Fee, I am sure Brance can take it from here." Jaina looked from Fee to Brance with a hopeful cast in her eye.

He smiled knowingly. "Go. See Kyp. We can take it from here."

Instinctively Jaina leaned up and smacked a kiss on Brance's cheek. "You're the best." The next second later Jaina was running out of the hangar as fast as her feet could take her.


	9. Friends

**CHAPTER 8**

Climbing from cockpit of his X-wing, Kyp felt the aches and pains of old age sound their protest in various joints. He was getting old. There was no doubt about that. Standing on his ejection seat, he freed his head from the confines of the helmet and shook his graying curly mass of hair. A quick intake of air as he propped the helmet under his arm was all he needed to feel the power of the Force here on Naboo begin to flow through him.

Naboo was a wonderful place for a Jedi. Hopes and dreams were as fresh and new as the reborn planet. The war was over, and peace permeated every aspect of life here. Even the fact that the galactic governmental seat had been moved from Mon Calamari temporarily could not cloud the optimism singing in the Force. Kyp drank it in like a refreshing cocktail, crisp and rejuvenating, the cure for all his ailments.

Trotting to the edge of his new snubfighter, taking care to avoid unnecessary scuffs from the soles of his boots, Kyp found a sturdy place free of any possible obstruction and dropped to the ground. His mind was queuing up the checklist of orders to pass out to the Dozen's pilots before releasing them for the day when Kyp found himself rooted in place. All thought fled his mind to be replaced by one wonderful truth.

She stood not more than ten paces away; he counted them all in his head. If he could have, Kyp would have flown the distance, but some part of him simply wanted to enjoy the sight. She was standing as still as he, a delicate smile crossing her lips for him alone. Her skin was healthy and glowed, and her aura was brimming with life and love and wonder. Jaina was back.

The connection was instantaneous like it had never been broken, filling Kyp in every part, most importantly his soul. Her love permeated and surrounded him; it completed him. While they had been apart, Kyp had reflected on everything in his life and had come to some life-defining revelations. This moment confirmed what he had learned in that time.

Kyp was worthy of love; Jaina had shown him that. Drue had seconded it. Jaina was his soul. He loved her like no other, but it was not lust or desire just pure love. For that reason he had been able to accept her happiness with Jag. He did not need her body; Kyp needed her soul, and she gave it to him freely every time they joined. It was a different kind of completion than one he would ever have dreamt possible.

In that same epiphany, Kyp had found that there was room to love another, to enjoy the happiness others had found. He knew that it was different from what he had with Jaina, and certainly not as all-consuming as Jaina and Jag's relationship. For some reason, the bond of Jaina and Jag was some ordained union, they were halves of a whole, each incomplete without the other. Maybe what he had with Drue was different, but he refused to see it as less special. Although Kyp had missed Jaina dearly, her absence had allowed him to discover these simple truths. The separation had been necessary for him to learn to love another, in a different way. For that he was grateful.

He was even more thankful that she was back, smiling and waiting. She was as beautiful as always – beautiful in the Force – in addition to many other ways. Kyp realized he was smiling only because her grin grew with his. Then he realized how utterly stupid he must look, standing there in an open hangar with a silly grin on his face. Kyp willed his feet to move but was momentarily distracted.

"Jaaaainnnnaaaa!"

Valin came barreling out of nowhere to engulf Jaina in a hug. She disappeared from sight, and Kyp blinked twice to make sure he was not dreaming now that the spell was broken. Opening his eyes again, he could see Jaina eyeing him over Valin's shoulder as the young man picked her frame up with his arms wrapped around her torso.

A hand on Kyp's forearm accompanied a familiar voice. "I think you lost your twelfth pilot."

Turning his gaze away from the joyful reunion of Master and apprentice, Kyp smiled at Drue, his lover and executive officer. "Well, we knew it would come sooner or later."

Drue tipped her head toward Jaina and Valin. "Let's go save her from all the hero worship."

Kyp's smile grew to a grin. Drue had this amazing depth to understand what Jaina meant to him and accept it. He was not sure how she resolved it in her mind, but Kyp never sensed jealousy from Drue, only a deep respect for what they had as Jedi. "Okay."

Together they crossed the ten paces, Kyp counted every one of them. Now she was so close he could touch her. Valin was blabbering away, telling Jaina about the latest mission and how he single-handedly took out two rogue Yuuzhan Vong who were found tampering with the squadron's X-wings. The tale of his heroics in defusing the mini-bombs, some type of conglomeration of Vong biotechnology mixed with manufactured explosives, found attached to several of the snubfighters was grossly exaggerated, but Kyp and Drue let the young man have his fun.

Jaina finally interrupted Valin. "Sounds like you have been keeping Master Durron safe from the scourge of the galaxy. I am glad I left you with him." She ruffled the young man's hair as he blushed. "My, you have gotten big," Jaina noted as she had to reach higher than she was used to. "And handsome."

"I've had a growth spurt, and Master Durron has been working with me to improve my physical strength," he bragged fighting the tinge of a blush at the same time.

Drue forced her way into the conversation. "Valin here comprises one quarter of the Dozen food budget alone. Growing Jedi apprentices can be very expensive to feed."

Jaina turned her gaze up to greet the blonde-haired bombshell next to Kyp. "Yes, they can." She paused momentarily. "Hello, Drue." Kyp sensed some hesitation from Jaina as the two women exchanged greetings.

Pulling Jaina into a welcoming embrace, Drue confirmed why she was a special woman. "Welcome home, Jaina. We missed you."

As Jaina's hands tentatively came up to Drue's back to return the sentiment, Kyp felt Jaina relax. His shoulders dropped from an ear clenching position that he was not aware they were in until that moment. Some hidden fear that the two most important people in his life would not accept one another fled to be replaced by utter contentment.

Drue stepped away, one hand still resting on Jaina, the other gripped Kyp's hand. She turned to Valin. "Come on, kid. Let's get this squadron fed and beds." She squeezed Kyp's hand and walked off, leaving him alone to enjoy the reunion.

He did not remember exactly how it happened, but at some point Jaina flung herself into his arms. He held her tightly, remembering every inch of her body and soul like a favorite holonovel you cracked open after years of hiding on the shelf. It was all there in his mind, waiting to be woken. Her smell. Her smallness. Her largess. Her arms. Her compassion. Her love.

Jaina pulled away first, but not completely, only far enough to plant a kiss moistened by her tears on his cheek. Then she folded her head onto his chest and cried wet, happy tears that soaked through his flightsuit and scorched his heart. Neither of them spoke. It was not necessary. Words would have only gotten in the way.

Suddenly Jaina jumped back, batting the tears from her eyes. "Kriff. See what you made me do." Kyp laughed, then she joined in unexpectedly for a few moments. He sensed an abrupt change in her, excitement – no exhilaration – not more than a millisecond before she grabbed his hand. "Come on. There is someone you need to meet."

Kyp followed as Jaina sprinted out of the hangar. She never released his hand through two more hangars as they dodged snubfighters and freighters, technicians and repulsor sleds. He did not mind in the least. Kyp marveled at the ease with which she ran and the vitality rolling off her in waves. This was not the Jaina who left for Csilla with death beating at her door; she was new, whole, and growing stronger with every passing day. The surging vigor was detectable at every level of their connection.

They stumbled into a quiet hangar, Jaina's excited giggles permeating the air, bouncing and echoing off the faraway walls. Kyp recognized the _Falcon_ and _Shadow_ before sizing up the newest vessel. Jaina pointed toward it, then took off again with Kyp in tow.

"They're in the _Legacy_." He would have questioned her about the ship, but Jaina was shouting ahead. "Jag…Jag! We have a visitor!"

At the base of the silver ship's ramp, Jaina halted, as did Kyp. She held her hands out, signaling he should wait. "Jag's got his hands full. Wait here. I'll be right back."

Then she was gone, bounding up the ramp into some strange new vessel. Kyp waited patiently, sensing her every twist and turn within the ship. It was not long before she was moving in his direction again, although not as quickly as before and definitely not alone.

Kyp recognized the second presence like an old friend, but strangely enough they had never truly met. Looking up the ramp, he knew the moment they would arrive. Jaina appeared, her face beaming with pride, as she cuddled a tiny bundle to her chest. Kyp waited patiently at the bottom as his partner carefully traversed the incline, bringing closer the mass of pink blanket that obscured his view but not his sense of the life nestled inside.

He tore his eyes away to meet Jaina's brown orbs. There was so much happiness there, and he held that perfect connection into her mind's eye as she finished her trek. In an instant he relived the last several months of Jaina's life – the recovery, the birth, the return trip home and every happy event in between. Then Jaina was standing before him as Kyp marveled that he was blessed to be able to share these experiences with his partner like he did and that she trusted him with that knowledge.

"Kyp?"

He blinked and fell out of his reverie. "Hmmm?"

"I would like you to meet someone very special. This is my daughter, Keira."

Dropping his eyes to match Jaina's movements, Kyp watched as her hand pulled back the pink blanket to reveal a perfect tiny head swathed in black fuzz. Kyp stood motionless for some time, just gaping. Finally he had the sense to look at Jaina.

"She is absolutely beautiful."

Jaina grinned. "She is, isn't she?" Kyp shook his head almost absent-mindedly as his eyes were drawn down again. She seemed to move, and it was then that Kyp realized Jaina was offering Keira to him. "Do you want to hold your hold-daughter?"

This time when Kyp lifted his gaze, tears clouded his vision, but he could sense the emotion pouring out of Jaina in turn. He shook his head. "I…I…couldn't…"

Gently renewing her offer by extending her elbows out further, Jaina tipped her head reassuringly. "Oh yes you can, Master Durron."

"But there are so many more deserving."

Jaina snorted. "Who else rescued us from the marketplace, or put their X-wing between Keira and I and imminent doom? Who stood with me against Shimmra and kept me strong so I could care for Keira? Who carried me to the shuttle so we could leave for Csilla? Who was there to help bring both of us back from the jaws of death?"

"Me…"

Jaina offered Keira again. "See, you win the prize."

There was nothing more Kyp could say, so his acceptance was simple. "I am honored."

Another voice accompanied by an arm on Kyp's shoulder surprised the Jedi. "No, it is we who are honored." Glancing up, Kyp met the heartfelt gratitude and welcome sparkling in another pair of green eyes. Both men smiled; Kyp's was more alive, Jag's was his usual subtle curl. "It is good to see you, my friend."

Kyp returned the sentiment. "As it is for me." Then Jag did something unexpected for the usually stoic man. He embraced Kyp like a brother. Both men patted each other on the back, then parted to shuffle awkwardly. They turned to Jaina, who simply held Keira out again. Kyp chuckled. "I guess I had better take my hold-daughter before the offer is rescinded."

With some bungling of the exchange, Kyp managed to secure the transfer, landing the light bundle in his arms. Peering down, he was amazed at how Keira already hinted to traces of her mother's beauty. As he reached for her spirit, the tiny life answered with the opening of her eyes. They were the palest shade of green, like a Pogonia leaf frosted by an early winter freeze. Keira answered his summons back, her spirit seeking and grasping his. Then Keira extended her hand out, her chubby fingers curling and straightening.

Lowering his head and raising his arms, Kyp maneuvered his face closer until Keira was close enough to touch him. She swung her hand haphazardly, even as she seemingly stared him down. It took several swings for her to make contact, and when she did Keira let out an excited squeal. That was when Kyp first felt the burst of combined joy and sadness from Jaina. Something in the way Keira fondled his lips and stroked his face all the while cooing merrily struck Kyp as different.

He reached into his connection with Jaina, and a scene unfolded in his mind, Jaina clutching Keira to her and Jag looking into his wife's eyes. It was then that Kyp realized the couple was reliving a moment together, one that haunted them every day. Then Jag spoke the words, _"Jaina, Keira is blind,"_ and Kyp felt the pain like it was a knife twisting in his own gut. The pain fled quickly to be replaced by steely resolve and hope, the same temperament that had marked Jaina and Jag since the beginning.

Staring down at Keira, who smiled up at her long lost friend she could not see but definitely sense in a thousand other ways, Kyp fell in love, hopelessly in love in the purest sense, for the second time in his life.

Fastening the last button on his collar, Jag strolled into the family room in his in-laws' home. He stopped in the entranceway and paused to watch and listen. His brother was flat on the floor, face up, with Keira flying over his head in a fit of delighted squeals. Rane made ion engines sounds as he swooped Keira past his face.

"You might make a clawcraft pilot out of her yet."

At the sound of his brother's voice, Rane dropped his niece to his chest, where she immediately began to try to lift her head. Rane tilted his head at a similarly strange angle so he could get a look at Jag. "Just don't tell Jaina it was me. I am still waiting for her to skewer me for what I did to Jacen."

Jag settled into a seat by Rane and Keira. "I wouldn't lose sleep over it."

Rane rolled up to a sitting position, planting Keira so she was face up on his outstretched legs. "Well, Tahiri is upstairs putting in a good word for me. What are they up to anyway? You would think Jaina was getting ready for her wedding."

Jag shrugged. "You got me. I was booted out of the bedroom and told to use the spare room. I am guessing Jaina just wants to make an impression on the important folks. Part of this whole Twin Suns plan."

"Oh yeah. How's that going?"

Rolling his lower lip out for a moment's consideration, Jag chose his next words carefully. "Couldn't tell you really. She wants to do this on her own. So I am going to bite my tongue."

"That's the problem with loving fiercely independent women, huh?" Rane chuckled as he allowed Keira to grasp his index finger.

Jag observed his daughter tug Rane's hand around in her own private game. "Wait until you have two."

Rane bent over to address his niece. "Are you fiercely independent, Keikei?"

"Keikei, that's cute."

Jag glanced up at the sound of his wife's voice. What he saw caused him to jolt out of his chair and pop to attention. Jaina stood across the room looking like a vision of long ago. He could not take his eyes of her; he was not sure he ever wanted to. Jag's breath caught in his throat at her beauty. Her hair was simple, a gathering of curled, caf-colored locks pinned atop her head. Her makeup was just as uncomplicated, light coloring around her eyes and some gloss on her lips. The dress, although not extravagant, completed a heavenly picture.

Unlike years ago, Jaina had a figure that revealed her womanhood in full bloom, and the dress showed every single curve. The cut was strapless, with a tight bodice that laced up the front, drawing the eye in a line from her slim waist to the firm swell of her breasts. The skirt flared out over her hips then fell away to the ground, gathering in a bustle at the back and trailing away to a short train. The material was scarlet-hued shimmersilk, the perfect compliment for her complexion.

Jag did not realize he was staring until he heard his brother, who was now standing next to him clutching Keira to his chest, speak. "I assume that is the infamous red dress."

Not even acknowledging his brother with a glance, Jag replied as he smiled at Jaina. "Yes, it is."

Rane whistled, for a moment eyeing Tahiri, who stood off to the side with a delighted grin. "No offense, my love, but if I had been unattached…" He cast his stare approvingly at Jaina again. "…on Hapes, I would have fallen head over heels myself."

Tahiri giggled. "You're forgiven. Just remember, I have a lightsaber."

Jag piped in his own two credits. "I am still able to knock you around as well, little brother."

Rane chuckled as he addressed Jaina. "You look absolutely…"

"Stunning." Jag finished as he willed his leaden feet to move until he ended in front of his wife. "No. Beautiful. No. Amazing. No…"

Jaina's giggles interrupted his unabashed declaration. She held her hands out and spun around once. "So you approve."

Before Jaina could drop her hands back down, Jag had scooped Jaina into his arms. She squealed. "Jagged Fel. What are you doing?"

Jag planted a bold kiss on Jaina's shiny lips. "I am going to do what I wanted to do years ago on Hapes."

"Which is what exactly, young man?" Han Solo's voice caused everyone in the room to stiffen.

Jaina's whisper tantalized Jag's already excited nerve endings. "I don't think my father is ready for the truth."

Frowning, Jag conceded and placed Jaina on the floor. He smiled at Han while clearing his throat. "Why dance with your daughter, of course sir."

Han's glare was scathing nonetheless. "You better get going then. Leia and Jacen left over an hour ago." Indicating with a wave of his hand, the older Corellian encouraged the couple to the door as a fit of snickers erupted from Tahiri and Rane, who had drifted together during the course of the conversation.

Jag held an arm out for Jaina. "Shall we?"

Jaina accepted her husband's arm graciously. As a couple, they crossed the few steps to stand in front of Rane and Tahiri. At some point, Tahiri had stolen Keira for herself. She rotated the baby in her arms so Jaina and Jag could get a good look at her. Leaning down, Jaina pecked a loving kiss on her daughter's forehead, then made way for her husband to do the same.

From off to the side, Han reassured his daughter as she became misty-eyed at the prospect of leaving her daughter for the second time that day. "Don't you worry about a thing. Keira and I will be fine."

Jaina forced a nonchalant air as she turned to her father. "I am sure you will." She hesitated for a moment. "Uh Daddy, Syal is going to stop by in a bit to drop off some clothes she picked up for Keira in town. So if you have _any_ questions…"

"We'll be fine. I don't need any help. I've done this before you know. Look how good you turned out."

Jaina turned back to Jag and rolled her eyes as if to say I-was-there-remember. As Jag tried to hide a chuckle, he received a well-placed elbow on the ribs. He had overheard Jaina and his mother scheming earlier to find a reason for Syal to check up on Han at some point during the evening. He could not fault Jaina on that count; Jag was not so sure he would have been entirely comfortable leaving his father in charge of his daughter either. Jag coughed to cover the grunt forced from his body by Jaina's abuse.

Rubbing Keira's cheek one final time, Jaina leaned in close to Tahiri. Jag heard her whisper, "You'll stay until Syal gets here, right?" Tahiri winked, and Jaina instantly relaxed in Jag's arm.

Daron Tyor holstered his blaster long enough to turn the manual seal on the airlock to Docking Station 3 on _Commencion_ _Station_. As soon as the hiss of recycled air blasted between his ship and the station, he retrieved the weapon, flicking the setting to kill. There was no doubt in his mind that something was horribly wrong Initial scans had read one sole life form, and even that one had been very weak.

Carefully treading through the airlock, he signaled for his partner to follow. They reached the corridor, checking both directions visually then fanned out in a classic defense spread, each taking an opposite approach. Not that they expected to find anything really, based on their scans. Still, they could not be too careful. Aptin had proven a proficient operative ever since leaving the Intel ranks after the war. Iella Antilles had recommended the fellow Corellian, and so far, her favor of the man had proven right.

Even so, Daron had never seen the man this intimidated. The tension had started a minute after arriving out of hyperspace on the tail of a freighter matching the description of a vessel that had participated in the heist of millions in credits worth of ykronium, a rare alloy. Aptin had not been able to raise the _Commencion's_ communications clerk when Daron had decided to scan the fueling station with some of their high-tech surveillance equipment. The absence of life on board had set both men on edge, Aptin considerably more so than Daron.

Glancing back to his partner, Daron noted that his Intel training was paying off. Despite the notable shaken look in the man's eye, he was doing his job covering both of their backsides. Daron stopped, holding his hand up to indicate silently to Aptin that he was going to have a look in the cashier's office. A few steps inside, the stench of blaster fire filtered into Daron's senses. He scanned the room, taking one additional step when a foot came into view. Two steps later, Daron had a good look at the remains of what he guessed would be a woman by her clothes. Otherwise, she was indistinguishable.

Choking back his own gag reflex, the seasoned veteran hurried out of the office, back to the familiar face of his partner. "Nothing to see in there. Keep your eyes peeled though." Daron guessed that the less Aptin knew at this point the better. Together they resumed their careful trek down the hall, until reaching a blastdoor sealed tight.

Daron indicated to the access panel nearby. "Be my guest."

Aptin nodded, then removed a small device from his pocket. Daron covered the area with guarded eyes for the long minute it took Aptin to break the lock. The door opened with a hiss behind Daron's back. Before Daron could turn to get a good look, Aptin was falling into him, backpedaling from the opening. Grabbing the man, Daron flung his partner into the wall; still not sure what had set him off.

Holding his partner in place forcefully with one hand, Daron glanced over his shoulder. The site was one he would never forget for as long as he lived. Bodies were strewn everywhere. The hall was riddled with death and destruction illuminated in some eerie oscillating emergency light flashing above. Nothing but pure evil could have done such a thing.

Realizing his partner was more of a hindrance than a help at this point, Daron made a decision. "Go back to the ship, and send out an emergency hail." The man nodded before jogging away.

Daron remembered the one life sign had been ahead, from the control room, if his memory served him right. He decided to get there and get out as fast as possible himself. He had no designs of staying any longer than necessary either. Straddling and stepping over bodies left and right, Daron tried to not look at the faces. Sometimes that was nearly impossible. One time he caught the open-eyed blank stare of a young man. Death had come senselessly in his eyes. Fear was his last companion.

After a painstaking trek, Daron arrived at the control room, the door flung apart as if it had been ripped open. Carefully stepping into the room, no longer fearful for his own personal safety because he was so numb with the truth before him, Daron immediately found the one lone survivor. Draped over the body of a heavyset man, a petite woman sobbed. The sounds were less detectable than the movement. As he moved closer, Daron realized her voice was all but lost to the ravishes of the grief consuming her.

Slowly he came upon her and lowered to a crouch. Daron gently placed a hand on her shoulder, fearing he would startle the woman. She flinched but did not bolt or jump, then slowly raised her head. Red-rimmed eyes stared back amidst a bloodied and bruised face. She stared at him, blinking slowly once.

"Daron Tyor?"

In all the years Daron had worked in the intelligence business for CorSec and privately, he had never been truly spooked. That was until now. He did not know this woman, but she had clearly been expecting him. He blinked several times.

"He said I was to expect you. He said you would come, and that you would be able to take me to her."

"Wh…who…who said," he stammered.

She shook her head once like it was too much effort to do more.

"Who am I supposed to take you to?"

Very slowly she lifted her right hand, at that moment Daron noted the odd scorch mark and gaping hole in the body she was covering like a shroud, but he was more intent on watching her trembling hand. She brushed aside her bangs to reveal a symbol scorched into her forehead. Daron fought the grimace tempting his lips at the sight of the painful wound.

Her brown eyes met his horrified stare. "He said you would know."

"You can turn down this road to get back to the neighborhood. It is faster."

Soontir never took his one good eye off the winding road laid out ahead of him as he addressed his wife. "I prefer this route. We get a better view of the cityscape."

They rode in silence for a while further as Soontir concentrated on steering smoothly along the banks and turns heading back toward Theed. Neither spoke until reaching the checkpoint into the restricted neighborhood where both the Solos and Antilles lived. Even then, they only addressed the guard when asked for identification. Soontir smoothly guided the speeder down the main thoroughfare, finally turning onto a quieter side street that headed to the Solo residence.

The Baron casually spared a glance at his wife, now sitting ramrod stiff in her seat staring straight ahead out of unseeing eyes. "Are you mad?"

She did not bother to turn to face him. "Yes."

He chuckled despite himself. It was deep and throaty. "Because I would not take your route?"

"Yes." She blinked once and casually crossed her arms.

"I like that road. It is fun to drive."

Syal shot her husband an icy blue-eyed stare. "Obviously. I just wanted to get back in time to see Jaina and Jag off." She looked away.

"Why didn't you just say that was what you wanted?"

"You never listen to me."

Soontir noted the typical defiant cross of her arms and frowned. He shot around the final corner and whipped the vehicle between two parked speeders just outside the front door of the Solo townhome. After dropping the vehicle down on its repulsors abruptly, he spun in his seat.

His expression vacillated between pained and angry. "Why would you say such a thing?"

"Well, you don't." Syal flung her blonde hair as she faced him again.

Soontir practically bristled with an electric edge then found a moment of calm focus. "For Force's sake Syal, you know that is farthest from the truth. You were the one who wanted to come back; we came. How many other things have I bent over backwards…" He paused as he noticed the first tear stream down her face.

Not more than a second later, Soontir had freed his restraints and slid across to take his wife into a comforting embrace. "Shhhhh…"

She flung her arms around him and held tight. Soontir just waited patiently. Eventually the tension in her body ebbed and her breathing regulated to a calm rhythm matching his own. Only then did he pull away. His brown eye carefully studied his wife's face for a moment, only a few tears had slipped out but her eyes were wet with pain.

"You miss them?"

She nodded once, then batted away a tear. "These last few months were heaven for me, with Keira and Jaina home. I remembered how wonderful it was to have a baby in the house. Everything is changing now. It is all happening so fast I can hardly keep up." She sighed. "I am sorry. That was not fair to take it out on you."

He remained stoic as he remarked, "No, I suppose it was not." Syal averted her gaze and watched her hands as they now twisted in her lap. "But I forgive you." Soontir lifted his wife's chin with two carefully placed fingers. "All you have to do is explain, and I will do anything you ask. You know that, don't you?"

Syal smiled her sweet, beautiful smile – the one she reserved for him alone. "I know." Suddenly, her face brightened to a holostar grin. "They are still here," she proclaimed eagerly. Not a moment later, she was flinging off her restraints and bolting from the speeder.

Soontir shook his head before following his wife with his brown eye as she ran away from the speeder. Jag and Jaina were descending the steps to the townhome, a security detail meeting them halfway. Syal pushed past the uniformed men to end one step below Jaina. As Soontir climbed out of the speeder, he could here his wife's excited proclamation.

"Oh, you are absolutely breathtaking." Soontir limped closer only to be startled by his wife's cry. "It's the dress – the one you told me about."

Soontir eased up the steps, skirting past a guard courteously as Jaina wrestled her husband's arm playfully, blushing as she did. "Is there anyone you didn't tell about this dress?"

Soontir interrupted in his son's defense. "Me." Both Jaina and Jag grinned down at the aging general, Jag appreciative of the backup, Jaina in a warm welcome. Soontir stopped next to his wife, now on eye level with Jaina. He took careful stock of his daughter-in-law. "I can see why the dress made an impression." Soontir faced his son, noticing Jaina blush as he did. "Is there special significance I am missing, Son?"

Jag shuffled his feet, looking to Jaina for a moment, then met his father's steadfast gaze. "Jaina wore this dress on Hapes to a diplomatic ball we both attended. I think I fell in love with her that night – truly in love. I might have fought battles with myself about it over time on Hapes, but the war was lost that fateful night."

Soontir chuckled. "So I would imagine." He eyed Jaina. "No fair, using a superweapon on my son, young lady."

Jaina giggled. "I gave him every opportunity to turn tail and run…"

"And we are glad he did not." Soontir grabbed Jaina's hand.

Syal agreed. "More than you can ever know. Besides once a Fel falls in love, there is no swaying his mind. They are powerless to their hearts." She leaned over and kissed Jaina on the cheek, caressing the spot with her hand afterward. "Go. Have a wonderful time." She held up her package. "I have got everything covered."

Jaina winked before the couple dismissed themselves. Syal waved and batted away a fresh tear as Jaina then Jag slipped into their assigned speeder. Soontir waited until the vehicle sped away before addressing his wife again.

"What exactly do you have covered?"

Syal spun away from him and ascended the steps as she spoke. "Just dropping these clothes off that I picked up for Keira today."

Soontir dragged his weary injured leg up behind her, finally mounting the last step. "That's what I thought," he offered with little satisfaction as his wife sounded the door chime.

Before Soontir could probe Syal further, the door swept open to reveal Rane. He looked extremely pleased to see them. "Oh good, you are here." He stepped back to allow his parents access to the foyer. "Come on in."

Syal then Soontir enter the foyer and followed Rane further into the Solo residence. Arriving at the main family room, they found Tahiri sitting on the floor cross-legged with Keira in her lap. Syal dropped her package and raced across the room like she had not seen her granddaughter in a lifetime rather than just mere hours. She knelt down in front of Tahiri.

"There is Nana's baby girl." Keira had instantly recognized Syal's life force and turned to face her visitor.

Tahiri remarked on the fact with a grin. "She is so acutely aware of things in the Force already. It's truly amazing to me. That's something we worked so hard to achieve in our daily training as learners in the Academy, and she does it instinctively."

Syal bounced a fingertip off Keira's nose. "That's because my granddaughter is the smartest little Jedi in the galaxy."

Rane interrupted with a hint of anxiety in his voice. "Tahiri?"

The blonde-haired Jedi craned her neck to peer up at him. "Yes?"

"Are you ready?"

Tahiri glanced back to Syal, and the older woman curled the corner of her mouth knowingly. "Go on. Rane was never one for patience."

"I have exercised mounds of patience on Tahiri's behalf, haven't I," Rane questioned the blonde Jedi.

Somewhat reluctantly, Tahiri handed her charge over to Syal, leaving a loving kiss on the infant's head first. "Yes, you did, but sometimes I wonder if you didn't use it all up." She hopped to her feet in one swift motion to take Rane's outstretched hand. The youngest Fel son split his attention between his mother and father, one up, the other down.

"Sorry to run, but I made dinner reservations for tonight."

Soontir sensed the anxiety in his son's posture. He assumed it had something to do with the fact that Spike Squadron would be leaving within the week, allowing little time to spend with the woman he loved. Syal spoke before Soontir got a chance. "Then what are you waiting for?"

Rane practically dragged Tahiri out of the room as his parents called after him. "Have a good time."

Soontir settled into a nearby seat, easing his weary legs and watched Syal enjoy her granddaughter for a few heartbeats. Memories of long ago flashed in his mind of his wife sitting in just the same way with tiny Briaun bouncing in her lap. There would be no more children for them, but he understood how much joy Syal now found spending time with their son's baby, so he quietly allowed her the time alone. It was not long before he was mesmerized by the beautiful display of affection between his wife and granddaughter, so he was somewhat startled when she stood up and walked over to his chair.

"Take your granddaughter, Pop-pop." She deposited Keira in Soontir's lap as he grimaced at the term of endearment bestowed on him since his new status as a grandfather.

The grimace quickly faded as Keira cooed up at him. He tickled her belly and told her silly thoughts, becoming totally captivated by the little child's magical qualities. Suddenly a thought hit him. "Who's watching Keira?"

A commanding, easily distinguishable voice answered. "I am. What's it to you, Fel?"

He stifled a snort as he eyed Han decked out in an apron standing in the threshold to the kitchen area. "Nice look, Solo."

Han blew off the remark to glance around the room. "Where's the kids?"

Syal smiled sweetly. "Hello Han. Rane and Tahiri had to go, big date or something like that."

Han pursed his lips in thought. "Well, that's fine. More time for Keira and I then. Tahiri monopolizes that baby while she's here. Your son better beware. Won't be long before she has thoughts of her own, I figure." He glanced at the parcel on the floor near Syal's feet. "I guess that's the package Jaina said you were going to drop off."

"Yes, I got the little angel a whole bunch of warm weather outfits today. Our Csilla attire is entirely unsuitable for this climate. There are some absolutely adorable ensembles. Do you want to see them?"

Han smiled politely. "I am sure Keira and I can have a look a little later, but it's time for her dinner right now." He crossed over to tower over Soontir in the chair. "I suppose you two will want to get going. So I'll take her off your hands…"

Syal came between Han and Soontir to swoop Keira into one arm and waved Han off graciously. "Why don't I just hold her for a moment while you finish getting the food ready?"

Han's smile faded slightly. "I can manage really."

Syal brushed past the former smuggler casually. "I am sure you can…" She made her way into the kitchen without a backward glance. "…but it would make things so much easier if your hands were free."

Han charged after her with Soontir not far behind. "I appreciate the offer - don't get me wrong - but I am sure you two must be busy, what with finding a new home and all. Don't you have to go check on Briaun or something?"

"She is terrorizing her cousins." Soontir settled into the seat at the head of the kitchen table right next to the baby chair. "It is no trouble at all. We have time to spare." He studied Syal as she casually examined the cereal preparation.

Han strutted over to the former actress, holding out his arms in more of a demand than a request for his granddaughter. "I've got all the angles covered." He snatched Keira out of Syal's arms as soon as the opportunity was presented.

Sweeping across the room, Syal had that subtle smirk Soontir had learned to not trust. "I suppose you are right. This is your time to enjoy with the darling Keira. Let's leave these two alone, 'Tir. I will just put Keira's stuff away so Jaina doesn't have to bother with it when she gets home, and then we will be off." Syal yanked her husband out of the seat with a tug of the hand. "Come, dear."

Soontir dallied, following reluctantly. As they crossed into the family room, he sputtered at her. "You don't mean to leave Keira alone with that man."

"I heard that!" Han bellowed from behind.

Syal continued undaunted with her trek while she admonished her husband. "Now, 'Tir…"

Han's voice usurped hers. "Now listen here…" Jaina's father burst into the room on their heels. "…I raised three children, and they all turned out just fine…"

"I apologize for my husband. Han, I don't think he ever meant to imply you were incapable of caring for Keira." Syal's innocent smile disarmed the blustery Corellian. She swung to cast a pointed glare at her husband. "Did you, 'Tir?"

He would have been a fool to disagree. "Of course not."

She snatched the package off the floor before facing Han again. "We will take care of this and be on our way shortly. Enjoy your evening, Han."

Syal's insistent tug forced Soontir to follow her out of the room as he mumbled under his breath. "More like they all survived their childhood on pure Solo luck…"

"SHHHH!" Nail's digging into Soontir's hand reinforced the order.

The general complied as the couple climbed the stairs and quickly made their way to Jaina and Jag's room. Soontir stood dutifully silent while Syal carefully folded and put away a mountain of new clothes. At one point she stopped and held a tiny white and yellow dress up for his inspection.

"Isn't this just perfect?" He nodded. "I got it for the dedication ceremony tomorrow."

"I am sure Jaina will love it." Soontir paused as Syal carefully laid out the outfit on the bed so it would not be missed. He bit back any further comments on the tip of his tongue, trying to figure out exactly what his wife was up to. She was definitely holding out on him.

Gathering herself up, she headed in his direction. "Ready?"

"You are not actually planning on leaving…" Soontir spun as Syal slipped past gracefully and started down the hall. "…Keira alone here with that man."

Never breaking stride, Syal answered nonchalantly. "That man, as you put it, is her grandfather as well. It's not our place…"

"Not our place." Soontir could feel his voice starting to swell to a low boom as they descended the staircase. "I'll make it my place." The wails of Keira trickled down the hall once they reached the main floor. He flung his hand in the direction of the cries. "Don't you hear that? He's got her bawling in the first five…"

"Soontir!" Syal's curt snap caused the general to gape and then slam his mouth shut. His wife forced a conciliatory smile. "Trust me." He nodded once, but Syal was already slipping away down the hall. She never went as far as the family room, just close enough to call over Keira's cries. "Han! Han! We're done! We'll just leave you two…"

The appearance of Han jogging down the hall stopped her in mid-sentence. The seasoned officer and his usually unflappable demeanor were nowhere to be found on the man covered in cereal from head to toe. His relief was palpable as Han caught sight of Syal. "Thank the Maker you are still here." He waved in the direction of the kitchen. "I can't make her stop."

"Oh dear, is something wrong," Syal begged in her most dramatic voice then trotted off after Han.

Soontir harnessed a delicious grin and followed right behind. His limp prevented the Baron from keeping up with the other two, but he was certain Syal had things under control. As the Chiss general entered the kitchen filled with screeches and wails intermixed with Han Solo's placation and Syal's steady voice, he faltered. Never before had he seen such a sight.

Cereal was splattered everywhere; more than he ever thought possible to fit in one of Keira's small bowls. Stray splatters caked the cupboards and table and anything else in sight. That was not the most stunning part, though. As Keira's cries crescendoed, items in the room like the food processor and magnets stuck on the cooler actually danced, apparently of their own accord. A pile of flimsies blasted off the nearby counter in an invisible storm.

Han talked in fits. "…she just wouldn't eat after the first bite, and she kept getting fussier and started crying…" He started as a lid popped off a jar on the counter.

Extracting Keira from the baby seat, Syal whispered soothing words. "There, there." She cooed to her granddaughter and slipped her finger into the cereal bowl at the same time. Popping the finger into her mouth, she nodded, apparently satisfied with her findings. Syal used the free hand then to rub Keira's back, bobbing as she faced Han, who seemed to be more concerned than anything else.

"She is fine," Syal reassured the man. "You just forgot the wefu honey in her cereal." Without missing a beat, Syal set out to gather the items necessary to make Keira a new bowl of cereal. The baby's cries were already subsiding in the familiar arms of her grandmother, and the room's contents were beginning to return to a calm state.

Smacking his head with the heel of his hand, Han blasted himself. "Jaina's going to kill me. She wrote it down but I left the flimsi in the other room."

Soontir decided to twist the vibroblade. "Well you have made a fine mess of it this time, Solo."

Han shot his rival an accusatory glare. "I don't see you jumping in to help. Besides, I didn't make this mess; your granddaughter did."

"If you had read the directions…"

Syal glanced up from mixing the wefu honey into a new bowl of cereal. "'Tir, babies are not like a training manual. Han is learning her just as we all are. Force-sensitive children can be a little more trying," she smiled at Han, "as I am sure he knows."

Han cast his patented lop-sided grin her way appreciatively. "This one already seems more of a handful than the twins ever were."

"That's because she is a Fel. You Solos never could best us." Soontir plopped in a chair at the table.

Han slammed his hand down on the table sharply. "It seems my daughter did a fine job of doing just that to your son."

Soontir's reply was cut off by a sharp piercing howl. Both men faced Syal with woeful expressions as she scowled out from under furrowed brows. Soontir began to open his mouth, when his wife cut him off.

"Save it, both of you." She snatched the cereal bowl out of the food heating unit and slammed it shut for emphasis. "I want the two of you to make nice while I feed Keira her dinner."

Knowing better then to argue, Soontir kept quiet; Han on the other hand started to say something. A blazing flash of blue eyes stifled any protest. Soontir hid a grin of satisfaction by turning his head. _Fast learner, I see._

Han dropped to a seat close by and together the two men watched Syal feed Keira her dinner. It was not long before the tears were replaced by excited squeals and giggles, and Syal was spooning bite after bite into Keira's mouth. After a breathless feeding, the mood of both women was decidedly more light-hearted and carefree.

Finally, Syal turned to Han. "She is just a little particular about her food, but Keira has quite an appetite."

"I see that."

Wiping Keira's mouth clean, Syal eyed her granddaughter before questioning her host. "She needs a bath now to get all this mess out of her hair. She absolutely loves her bath time. Don't you, Keira?" The woman affected a saccharine voice to address the baby as she dodged the rag applied to her face.

Han tipped his head. "I think I can muddle through. No directions to miss I would presume."

Syal cleared the cereal bowl and spoon as she rose from the table. "Good. I will clean up the mess while you take care of Keira."

Rising, Han moved toward his granddaughter. "That's not necessary. You've been a big enough help already, and I have imposed on your time as it is. I can clean up my own disasters."

"Yes, I am sure you can, but if Keira thinks she is being neglected for even a moment there will be more tantrums surely to follow. Go on. It won't take me but a minute." Syal waved him off.

Scooping Keira out of the security of her seat, Han offered Syal an appreciative smile then sauntered out of the kitchen. Soontir watched his wife easily track down the cleaning supplies in a nearby pantry, like their location was some mysterious knowledge she had been born with. As Syal turned to him with a pair of sponges, one in either hand, Soontir suddenly realized her objective.

He bolted out of the chair, almost knocking it over and thumbed over his shoulder. "I think maybe I will go help Han." Soontir was limping out of the kitchen before his wife ever got a chance to get a word in edgewise.

Halfway up the stairs, the sound of Han's tenor voice wafted down the narrow walls singing a familiar Corellian childhood melody. Soontir's step became lighter with the memory of his mother crooning the same song. Humming to himself, the Baron walked into his son and daughter-in-law's bedroom for the second time. The sound of running water mixed with lyrics filtered from the open door of the refresher.

Stepping into the bright artificial light of the roomy refresher, he found Han with Keira in one arm, leaning over to check the temperature of the water flowing into the bathtub. "Want some help," Soontir offered cheerily.

Han chuckled. "Prefer baby bathing to swabbing detail, I can tell."

Soontir arched his eyebrow and drew his lips in a long thin line. "Just making sure you don't foul this up as well," he spat back in a decidedly less happy tone.

Han straightened back up, balancing Keira's legs on his free arm for a moment. "Thanks for the vote of confidence." Han maneuvered between the counter and Soontir, stopping for a moment to stand toe to toe with his former Academy rival. "Anything you can do; I can do better. So I suppose you can watch and learn."

As Han stomped off, Soontir snorted. "We will see about that." He whirled toward the bathtub and bent over to check the water. Noting the temperature, Soontir fussed with the water mixture.

"What are you doing?"

Soontir spun to face Han, now back in the refresher. "It's too hot."

Han pushed his way past, toting Keira sans clothes in one arm and the special baby bath recliner in the other. After dropping the recliner into the water, he spun the water controls back to their original position then flapped a finger at Soontir. "It stays."

Kneeling by the bathtub, Han took Keira under either arm and lowered her onto the seat. Even before her toes hit the water, she was flapping her arms and cooing. The submersion into the water resulted in squeals of glee. Han swung his head back to face his judge.

"See, she loves it."

Soontir saw fit to only offer a tip of the head before Han turned his full attention to their granddaughter. Keira splashed and giggled while her grandfather wiped a soapy cloth across her shoulders and then lifted her to do the same across her back.

"You missed a part."

"I got it." Han replied while doubling back with the rag.

Lowering Keira onto the recliner so she was once again partially submerged, Han dipped the cloth into the water. He drizzled the water down onto Keira's head, soaking her hair. She protested with a whimper as she squeezed her eyes shut.

"She doesn't like…"

"Do you mind?"

"…when you do that."

"I can see that, but she will have to get used to some things she doesn't like." Han dunked the cloth in the water and continued his efforts to drench Keira's hair, only to be met with heightened opposition as she swung her hands wildly.

Soontir prowled out of the refresher in disgust, pausing just outside the door. He unbuttoned his sleeve cuff while examining the room, looking for something specific. By the time he had the second sleeve rolled up, Soontir determined where to proceed. Behind him, Keira was now objecting in fits and wails, and Soontir was sure as the sun set on Corellia that Han Solo would proceed as he was until shown the error of his ways. Soontir walked purposefully to the bin of toys partially hidden under the crib and retrieved a familiar toy shaped like an Ewok.

Seven determined strides were all that was between Soontir and his displeased granddaughter. Bending over, he squeezed the plastene Ewok, causing it to emit a series of squeaks that immediately captivated Keira's highly sensitive ears. Her face brightened instantly at the sound, reverting from its wrinkled mask.

Han's glare revealed all of the animosity boiling in his veins. "What are you doing?"

"Accomplishing what you obviously cannot." Soontir gingerly bent his sore leg followed by the good one to kneel next to Han. He ignored the other man and continued to squeak the toy. Keira followed the noise attentively. "That's a good Keira. Here's the Ewok."

She swung her hands trying to capture the elusive toy as Soontir tempted her with graceful sweeps near her face. "Go on. Finish the job, Solo."

"All right. All right." Han wet the cloth again and drained it over her tiny head. This time the distraction served to pacify her protests. Han grinned, obviously more affected by the relief for her change of attitude than the fact that his rival had just shown him up. "Hey, I think you found the trick." That was until a pack of soap bubbles trickled into her eyes. Keira hiccoughed in protest.

"Watch what you are doing…"

Han, now shoulder to shoulder with Soontir, swiveled to face the general with the wet cloth clutched in his accusatory hand. "I would appreciate less…" A splattering of water flipped off the cloth and into Soontir's good eye with the motion. "…critique and more…"

"Solo!" Soontir wiped the hand not occupied with the toy across his eye.

"What!?"

Keira splashed in the tub.

"Watch where you swing that thing. She's the one getting a bath."

"I will when you mind your manners. I'm not one of your Imperial plebeians you can boss around."

Keira splashed a little harder, and water flew up in the air.

"Manners!? You're a fine one to speak about manners you-who-thought-refinement-was- barreling-around-the-galaxy-like-a-Wookie-on-the-warpath."

"I'd appreciate it if you would leave Chewie out of this."

Keira kicked her legs and slapped her hands in the water, sending it ever higher.

"Compared to you, that Wookie of yours was a consummate gentleman!"

"Why you…"

Suddenly a tidal wave of water flew out of the bathtub with a powerful blast, drenching both men completely. Sputtering and spitting sounded from both sides as each attempted to gain their bearings and confront their attacker.

"Fel!"

"Solo!"

"How dare you…"

"I can't believe…"

A fit of screeches interrupted the accusations. As Han and Soontir turned in unison, immediately concerned for their granddaughter, they both called out to her.

"Keira?

"What's the matter, honey?"

Screeches blossomed into self-satisfied hiccoughs as the tiny baby finally achieved her goal. The two men appeared dumbfounded as Keira splashed the water up in a delighted dance without even touching her new plaything, but rather with a simple wave of her hand. After a few stunned heartbeats, Han chuckled first followed shortly by Soontir.

Han wiped a trickle of water out of his eye. "So like her mother already."

Soontir smoothed a palm over Keira's damp head before meeting Han's stare. "Yes, just as truly wonderful. You might have actually done something right."

Han snorted. "Maybe too demanding, if I had to change a thing."

"Yet beautiful."

"Spoiled attention glutton."

"And deservedly so."

Keira worked herself into a fit of giggles as the two grandfathers showered their admiration her way. The men beamed at the precious offspring born from the union of their own children and formed a momentary truce. Realizing they were each soaking wet and shamed to that state by their tiny granddaughter, Soontir and Han began to laugh anew. The sound grew in depth and volume until it was shameless riotous laughter.


	10. A Chance to Explain

**CHAPTER 9**

A distinct rapping sound on the speeder's window caused both Jag and Jaina to jump in unison. They giggled at the absurdity of the moment as the muffled voice of one of their assigned escorts tried to get their attention from outside the vehicle. Jaina reached across and used her fingers to wipe the glossy smudge of lip coloring from the corner of her husband's mouth. He turned to suck on the finger instead, all the while buttoning the top of his uniform jacket.

Jaina, contorting herself in the confines of the speeder's private passenger compartment, jerked her hand free with a mischievous grin. "You are so bad," she scolded him as she tried to adjust the top of her dress.

The rapping became more insistent. Jag lowered the window slightly, using his frame to block the view of the interior. "We'll be just a minute," he commanded the Intel officer.

"Certainly, sir," came a respectful reply.

The din of the crowd outside the Naboo Grand Hall was deafening until the window closed again, dropping the couple back into the isolated silence of the speeder. "It's crazy out there," Jag remarked as he turned back to his wife.

Jaina faced Jag, anxiously fixing some wayward curls that had escaped her carefully coifed hair. "You could say the same for in here," she chuckled. "So, do I look presentable?"

Jag allowed one arm to slink casually around his wife's waist. "Good enough to eat."

Arching an eyebrow, Jaina resisted his pull with a palm on Jag's chest. "That's not quite the answer I was going for…"

Not one to be denied, Jag dipped Jaina back, kissing the spot behind her ear. Then he whispered in a low seductive tone. "Then you should not wear clothes that tease my Corellian soul."

He tasted his way down her neck, soaking in the sumptuous trail of perfume left from her pulse point to the rim of her collarbone. Jag applied his lips skillfully the length of the seductive and sensitive bone until Jaina acquiesced with a moan. Satisfied, he drifted lower to the plentiful curves blossoming over the top of the red dress.

A sudden voice and the clamor of outside noise bolted Jag upright in the seat, dragging Jaina along until he unceremoniously dumped her on the seat next to him. "Colonel Solo-Fel, I must insist for your safety and the safety of the crowd…"

Jaina gave Jag a gentle nudge, peeking out from behind his carefully positioned torso. "We're ready, Officer. I apologize, but I had a minor ensemble crisis."

"Is there something I can do to assist…" The young man furrowed his brows quizzically then decided against further discussion on the matter as Jag cleared his throat. Jaina could only imagine the face he was directing at the poor man. The officer tipped his head respectfully. "If you're ready?"

Jag replied casually over the ever-increasing cacophony. "Lead the way."

Scooting across the seat, Jaina inhaled deeply once before accepting her husband's proffered hand. As she rose from the confines of the speeder, the noise level rose in a flourishing crescendo as the crowds of admirers cordoned off from the main entrance to the Grand Hall caught sight of her. At the same time, she was buffeted by an intense surge of emotions emanating from the crowd. It actually caused her to fall back, but Jag was there to offer a supporting arm while she quickly slammed the mental barriers around herself protectively.

A brief exchange with Jag's concerned green eyes confirmed to him that she was fine. Not a moment later, the security contingent was hustling them up the immense staircase in a flurry of shuffling feet. Memories began flooding back to Jaina as she recalled the last time she had been at this very location. The same was true for Jag; she felt it in her heart and in the subtle squeeze on her hand.

Once at the top, as a couple, the young lovers paused despite the insistent demands of the guards all around them. A quick scowl from Jag was enough to send the entire squad back a step with polite nods. Turning back to Jaina's upturned face as her smile radiated love, Jag slipped back into a memory. His hands reached up to cup her face, desperate for a touch. Jag's palms found the silky skin. His lips, jealous of his hands, rushed forward of their own accord.

Jaina, mistakenly expecting a feathering of a kiss at best, met his mouth with the gentleness she predicted for such a public display of affection. A year ago emotions were high, and Jag had needed to stake his claim. Now, Jaina expected the reserved man with whom she had fallen in love to be bound again by his own inhibitions once more. His kiss, though, demanded a response. There was no question of their love before all these witnesses. Jaina's lips parted, and he plunged into her mouth wantonly. The force of his passion caused Jaina to fade away, but Jag wrapped a hand around her tiny body until they touched from top to bottom.

Jaina's arms snaked around his neck. The noise of the hoots and whistles from below finally broke through their intimate union. Jaina pulled her head away first. Jag followed with his hungry lips until the kiss broke. A grin stretched across Jaina's face.

"That was some memory."

Jag rubbed his thumb lovingly along Jaina's cheekbone as he replied. "Better. Now we have a lifetime in front of us."

The cries of the crowd demanded to be heard above the private bubble they had erected in their minds, shutting out the world. Jaina's eyes sparkled like a rare gem ripped from the depths of the earth. "I feel like a princess in your mother's holodrama."

"You are the princess of my dreams."

Jaina tipped her head toward the crowd. "Maybe we had better give them what they want."

Of the same mind, Jaina and Jag turned to face the crowd. Their closest arms held desperately onto each other; the other offered a polite wave in recognition of the support and warmth flowing in their direction. The shouts and calls grew like a closing thunderstorm, as did the accompanying cheers. Jaina never even heard the lead of the security group as he leaned in, but she sensed his consternation. She nodded despite not really knowing his request. She had general idea of his desire indicated by his outstretched arm waving at the door.

It was a quick trip to the large main doors, and Jaina and Jag emerged into the regal elegance of the Grand Hall, no longer the dank ruins where Jaina had fought her terrible battle with Shimrra. Everywhere light and sparkling newness glimmered with overwhelming hope renewed. Not until she stepped inside did Jaina realize how full circle they had come. Oddly enough, the location did not seem to bother her in the least. It was a comforting fact to know the horrible dark presence of the Overlord could be squashed and consumed by the light of rebirth.

They had little time to absorb the opulence of the Hall, now restored to its original splendor of Padmé's era, for Provisional Governor Leia Organa Solo was beckoning to Jaina and Jag from the head of the receiving line. Threepio parked by her mother's side was issuing his customary official introductions.

"Colonel Jagged Fel, heir to Baron General…"

Leia glowered at the shiny droid. "Really, Threepio. I think I know my own family."

When confronted, Threepio's arms jerked up in his odd habit. "Of course, Mistress Solo. I was merely…"

"Threepio!"

The protocol droid abruptly turned himself away to await the next guest in a two step waddle. Leia stepped back, assuming her proper stance as Governor and an official hostess. Her smile faded momentarily. "Sorry about the snap a minute ago. I think I am beginning to dislike these things as much as your father."

Jaina laughed. "So that's why you let him beg out of tonight."

"I couldn't bear to tell him he had to come here and tear him away from Keira. As soon as possible, I am going to beg out of the festivities myself. Hopefully, I'll make it home in time for bedtime stories." Leia heaved her shoulders then assimilated a welcoming smile while opening her arms for her daughter. "You look stunning," she exclaimed.

Jaina accepted her mother's arms eagerly, returning the hug with the same ferocity but took care not to damage either of their delicate ensembles. "Thank you. Something I just pulled out of the _Falcon_ on a whim and threw on."

Eyeing Jaina from head to toe, Leia's smile turned a little wicked before she reached out to fix the laces on the front of the dress discreetly. "It looks like it came off in as big of a hurry." She winked as she smoothed the tie once and lowered her hands. Without missing a beat, Leia faced Jag with a toothy grin. "You look dashing, Jagged."

Fighting off the notable embarrassment, Jag cleared his throat subconsciously, but to his credit managed to not turn a shade of red like a Yugori apple. He respectfully leaned forward and kissed his mother-in-law's cheek. "Thank you, Leia. Your beauty rivals Jaina's tonight."

Leia chucked Jag on the cheek with her tiny palm. "You're sweet for saying so, but I am sure there will be eyes only on one Solo woman tonight."

Jag caught Leia's hand with his own and brought it to his lips. "Jaina has you to thank for that."

The Governor drew her hand away with a gracious smile. "Flattery will get you very far, Jag." She leaned closer. "You're already my favorite son-in-law, though."

"Thank you. I am honored."

Leia glanced down the receiving line then back at the Thyferran Senator and his contingent entering through the enormous doors of the Grand Hall. "Now is your chance to make a good impression. I will stall Senator Glentaw for as long as possible."

Jaina smiled appreciatively as a flock of Ryloth moths took flight in her stomach. "Thanks, Mom."

Turning to step away, Leia's voice caused Jaina to halt in her tracks. "Sweetie?" The daughter turned back dutifully. "Try to exercise some tact – hmmm?"

"As always, Mother."

"Remember, the Empire was not crushed in one night."

Jag stifled a snort. "My wife and your daughter figures things would have been different if she were in charge."

Jag's mirth was undeniable as he placed a palm on the small of his wife's back to guide her down the line. He was composed by the time they had to exchange formalities with the string of dignitaries between Jaina and her ultimate destination, the Chief of State. Jaina felt the knot growing in her stomach, but by now Jag was a rock, her rock, strong and sure. His palm slipped along hers and his fingers twined around her tiny digits like old friends. Jaina stole his solidarity willingly.

The moment arrived, and she was being introduced to Cal Omas, the most powerful man in the galaxy. Jaina straightened her shoulders as she drew in a deep breath. Jag's hand faded away as he lingered to answer a question directed his way by Cal's aide, a towering Devaronian. With just the two of them, leader and hero, face to face, the Alderaanian peered down through wizened eyes, studying the young woman who had defeated Overlord Shimrra. At the same time, she grinned up with a disarming smile. The battle for Twin Suns had begun.

"Colonel Solo, it is a pleasure to finally meet you." The Galactic leader's voice was smooth as the finest shimmersilk.

Jaina tipped her head respectfully. "Likewise, I am honored."

The shift of the Chief of State's gaze was subtle but not missed as his eye's quickly scanned downward. "You look well. I kept up on your illness and recovery through your mother. You sacrificed much for the sake of all our people. You seem to have come through with shiny colors." His expression was polite. "Ah, and I believe congratulations are in order. You have a new husband and daughter."

"Yes, I am very blessed to have a truly amazing husband at my side as well as our daughter, Keira." Jaina allowed herself the privilege of a proud smile before sharpening her focus to the task at hand.

Tight on time, Cal recognized her gratitude with a curt nod then turned his attention back to the matter on both of their minds. "So Colonel Solo-Fel, I hear you have been reluctant to sign back on with the Alliance military. General Antilles and I spoke not more than an hour ago on the matter. Your talents and public image would be a boon to Starfighter Command. What can I offer to garner your favor?"

_Tact, Jaina. Tact._ Jaina drew a mental image of her mother in the middle of heated negotiations and imposed it on herself before stating her demands. "Full autonomy."

Cal chuckled. "General Antilles wasn't lying then. You must realize the impetuousness of your request, and the implausibility. Everyone must answer to a higher authority, even myself."

"I do." Cal arched an eyebrow curiously at Jaina's remark. "I answer to the Force."

Cal's face hardened slightly. He was obviously not used to being told he was not the ultimate authority. "Then ask the Jedi Council to fund your Twin Suns, my dear."

Jaina's smile never faltered. "The Jedi are not warriors in the true sense. Not all would condone the type of squadron I want to establish. Besides, they, too, answer to the bureaucracy of the Galactic Senate, which helps fund them."

She caught the Thyferran delegation starting down the line. Time was closing in, so Jaina needed to state her case and hide the desperation boiling up from the pit of her stomach. Realistically Jaina knew her ultimate desire was unattainable, but as always she was setting the bar high and hoping for the best. She plunged forward bravely.

"Sir, I want to protect the galaxy. I want to root out the evil that will threaten the tentative peace we have fought for. At the same time, I fear I will be used instead as a propaganda machine for the galactic government instead of where I am truly needed. I cannot serve two masters. Twin Suns was a powerful weapon during the war. We were afforded liberties then…"

"Yes, yes. I see your concerns Colonel Solo-Fel, but you must understand the practical implications of giving one person free rein. War calls for drastic measures, but now everyone must be held accountable. It's just not possible. I am sure General Antilles would place you in the best position for your skills…"

"It's not Starfighter Command that I am worried about; it's the whims of the Galactic Senate. I don't want to become a political toy."

Cal held up a hand. "I would try my best to keep politics out of your squadron."

"But can you guarantee it?"

The leader's face was condescending. "You know I cannot."

Raising her chin, Jaina struck a defiant chord. "Then we are at an impasse I am afraid."

Cal was absolutely a blank slate for a couple of heartbeats. Jaina was not sure what to make of his inaction. Then the man curled up one side of his mouth. "That is unfortunate…for all involved."

Jaina detected something else though, a deep appreciation possibly from the other man. She forced a smile. "It is." She sensed the Thyferran delegation closing. "Thank you for your time, sir."

Jaina tipped her head and began her turn to leave his presence, when Cal's voice halted her departure "Colonel?"

Her eyes locked into Cal's. "Yes?"

"There is always a way to achieve your goals. You just have to find it."

She smiled. "Thank you. Have a good evening."

"You're welcome." Cal swiveled his gaze from Jaina to her husband as he scooted into the tail end of the conversation. "Colonel Fel, perhaps you will be better able to sway your wife on behalf of Starfighter Command."

Jaina's eyes flashed to her husband. "I will try, sir." She watched as he stiffened visibly.

The Chief of State grinned as he stuck out his hand to Jag. "I will make it your first official assignment as Rogue Squadron Commander. I suppose congratulations are in order."

Jag accepted the warm handshake. "I was unaware it was official, sir."

"It was a pleasure to sign off on your assignment this afternoon. The Chiss's loss is our gain."

"Thank you, sir." Jag took back his hand before turning to his wife.

Jaina was staring at him with her mouth agape, just barely registering the truth. For a moment there was complete silence in her mind as it struggled to fight between her failure and her husband's hidden success. She had been realistic in her expectations, noting that it might take time and bartering to achieve her goals. That did not make her initial failure any easier to swallow. Here, now, she was faced with the shocking reality that her husband would be back in the game sooner than she ever imagined. The heady truth spun around in her mind like some whirling dervish out of control.

Jag's demeanor never wavered as he grabbed her elbow and ushered her away from the receiving line. She complied long enough to make it out of earshot then slammed on the thrusters, grinding to a halt to stare at her husband. Words were impossible to form; her mouth just wavered open and shut.

Finally Jag broke the silence. "Well, are going to say something?"

Jag got his answer as Jaina swung on her heel and stalked off.

Jag marched after Jaina as she dismissed herself from the third group of admirers since leaving the Chief of State. She was as riled as a tusk-cat guarding its kill for sure, yet her stony silence was worse than any tirade she might have inflicted upon him. At least if she lashed out verbally then he would have had a chance to state his case. This way he was caught in some insufferable purgatory, and she held the keys.

He grabbed her arm, closing his fingers solidly around the warm flesh. "Jaina, we need to talk."

Jag did not give Jaina an option as he tugged her to a discreet corner. They were partially hidden behind a large ornamental plant, away from the prying eyes of any curious spectators. He released his wife, and she swiveled in a flurry of red shimmersilk, her brown eyes sparkling like lasers set to kill. "Interesting concept from one who conveniently forgets to talk about some fairly important matters."

"Listen Jaina, I can explain if you give me a chance…"

Her hands shot to the waist cinched into an impossible circumference by those binding red laces. "A chance?! A chance! Sithspit, how many chances do you need, Jag? I can name several chances…"

"It might seem that way, but there was never a good time for you and me to have a one on one conversation. I was going to tell you tonight…later. I never figured my nomination would be endorsed so quickly." Jag ran his fingers through the white shock of hair.

Her eyebrows shot up in high arches. "I suppose there wasn't time in the speeder?"

Jag fought a blush, caught in his own untruth. "Yes…well…" Jag slapped his hands against the sides of his black dress pants in frustration. "You know as well as I that I could not help myself. I mean look at you; you're…you're…I admit I was…distracted."

The compliment did not have the desired effect of calming her ire. Instead it only served to fan the fire. "Jag," she hissed, "this is important. This is a life decision, and you just forgot to tell me because you were distracted."

Jag tried to take her hand. "Jaina, be reasonable. You were gone all day at work and then Iella was there at your office. Then Kyp showed up. We were never really alone long enough to discuss Wedge's offer. I was not excluding you. Besides we _had_ discussed me joining Starfighter Command once we got to Naboo."

She yanked her hand away and fussed with the scarlet laces. "Yes, but where are the Rogues going to be based? Here on Naboo always, or Coruscant later? These things are important." Her brown eyes were quieter for a moment. "You always do this."

"What?" He was truly confused; he had done nothing wrong.

"Make decisions without me."

Jag bristled under the accusation. "I do not."

"Yes, you do," she said quietly. "You designed the _Legacy_ without me. You made the decision to resign from the Chiss military on your own…" She started a list with practiced ease.

"I cannot believe you are throwing those things in my face. I did all that for you."

"Did you ask my opinion?" Jaina's words were tinged with sarcasm.

"No." Jag felt his control slipping. Hot anger boiled beneath his typically cool demeanor and threatened to spill over. Everything he had ever done out of love was being discarded as his own selfish designs. "You are a fine one to talk. I don't see you asking my opinion on Twin Suns." The vehemence was undeniable in his voice.

"I told you exactly what I had planned. You knew…"

"I knew what you wanted, but you have effectively shut me out. You have summarily dismissed me on several occasions. If you want to throw the _Legacy_ back in my face, so be it. I will give you the funds to design your own ship. Those same funds, let me remind you, that made it possible for me to resign my Chiss commission without any undue stress on our lives except that we were given the opportunity to come back to Naboo. I would have just as gladly stayed on Csilla and spent time with you and Keira. I missed you – both of you. Why can't you ever defer to me? It's always about what you think is best. Maybe I do those things so I might have a say in an otherwise one-way street."

Jag's eyes darted back and forth, varying between rage and hurt with each movement. Then a dark cloak shuttered them off, hiding Jag behind a steely wall. Jaina simply stood there, unflappable and sure of herself, waiting for him to yield. He was, for once, going to deny the woman he loved.

Jag spun on his heel and walked away.

Daron let his partner guide the ship into its berth in the Theed spaceport. He had been there only once previously to meet Iella, shortly after the infamous encounter with the rogue Jedi called Zekk. Glancing out the view port as he undid his seat restraints, he noted that the amount of city lights indicated considerable development since his last visit. Also, the strict protocols to gain permission to land had changed. It had taken considerable wrangling and name throwing to open the tight channels.

Standing, Daron placed a reassuring hand on Aptin's shoulder then slipped out of the cockpit to check on their passenger. The sound of his boots clipped off the transparisteel floorboards of the inauspicious vessel. Other than the steady rhythm of plastene sole metal, the ship was eerily quiet. Not one of the three passengers had spoken much since departing the ruined fueling station a couple of hours previously. The girl had not spoken a word since Daron had carried her battered body from the wreck.

Sneaking into the small passenger compartment, Daron paused. She was finally asleep. For most of the trip, the poor girl – he knew she was otherwise but was incapable of seeing the battered shell before him as a woman – had sat in the corner of the bunk. Her eyes had peeled out in wide-eyed distrust, waiting for the next terrible truth to jolt her reality. Daron had been hard pressed to treat even her most superficial injuries.

The impact of landing had forced him to lay a palm on the wardrobe doors to balance himself as he tiptoed into the dimly lit room. Once steadied, he trained his eyes on the bruised face peeking out from under a blanket drawn up to a dimpled chin. The girl had cleaned most of the wounds herself and applied some bacta salve. Even then, he wondered what grievous injuries resided below the surface. By the pained look on her face when she was awake and the ragged intake of her breath, he guessed there were broken ribs at a minimum. Bacta would cure her body's woes, but Daron wondered if anything would heal the emotional wounds, ever.

Kneeling down, Daron eyed the scorched wound under the cover of her bangs. The odd symbol was impossible to miss though, as it practically glowed with some inner heat, like it was still on fire. She had avoided the blistered abomination in her ministrations.

Daron gently placed a hand on her shoulder, hidden under the blanket. The girl shot awake; her eyes snapping open as her body jumped reflexively, hands warding off an impending attack. He whipped his hands back to his shoulders, palms out, and waited for a couple breaths for recognition to enter her eyes. As soon as her posture relaxed, Daron addressed his ward.

"We're here."

Her eyes gave no indication that she knew what he had said. She merely blinked once then disappeared back into some personal shell. Daron was not sure where to go from there, so he bent over to sweep the blanket she had thrown off in her surprise. He folded it efficiently and returned it to the storage bin.

Turning around, Daron found the girl halfway to standing. Her movements were painfully slow. Daron went to her side, but hesitated to assist when her eyes flashed warily in his direction. He had to respect her spirit after all that had transpired. Stepping aside, he made way for the girl to move toward the corridor.

She gauged him cautiously, then stepped forward gingerly placing one foot in front of the other. A few steps from the open door, her knees buckled and the girl fell to the floor. Daron was quick enough to prevent the inevitable _thud_ and scooped the limp frame into his arms. A small moan was the only proof that she was conscious still.

Peering down at the pitiful brown eyes, partially focused in his direction, Daron spoke, more for his own benefit than hers. "I've got you. Nothing's going to happen." He swallowed. "I promise."

She gave in then, her brown orbs rolling back. Not a second later the her body relaxed in his arms as she slipped into the dark of unconsciousness.

Han sat on the settee in his daughter's room, with Keira nestled into the crook of his arms. She wiggled her tiny head, burrowing further into the warmth of his body. The lights were dimmed, and the house was still and quiet around two kindred spirits enjoying a solemn moment.

It had been too long since Han had the thrill of cuddling with an infant, and he had forgotten the pure joy that could be found from such simple moments. As if to express her shared sentiment, Keira released a self-satisfied sigh then stuck her fist in her mouth. Han was learning this habit was simply one of the wonderful quirks every baby developed.

He smoothed the fuzzy black hair, proof that she was part Fel, back with the gentle brush of his palm. "So what story do you want to hear, my beautiful Corellian princess?"

Keira answered with a gurgling coo muffled by the wonderful tasting fist.

Glancing around, Han found a stuffed Ewok propped up on the arm of the settee. It was decorated with a green bow, a large flimsi tag sticking out. Picking up the toy, Han read the inscription aloud. "To Keira: Your own Lieutenant Kettch to order around. Love, Uncle Wedge and Aunt Iella." Han harumphed. "Already capturing the hearts of pilots everywhere. Your mother had that same ability early on. Serves your father right, I suppose."

He wiggled the fuzzy doll in his hand, ruffling its fur. Han paused as a tiny hand stretched out until a set of chubby fingers could claw into the fur. It was almost as if she were able to see. Keira tugged the plush fur until the plastene nose could replace her fist in the inquisitive mouth. Grandpa Han guided the doll away, only to be met with a muted protest.

"Yes, I know. Keira likes to get her way, but sometimes we mere mortals know better than baby princesses." Han's husky voice had the pleasant effect of calming the rising storm. "How about I tell you that story?"

Keira cooed.

"Oh, I see. Score one hit for the old pilot." He nestled the Ewok doll between Keira and his torso. She gripped it with two powerful arms possessively. Han rolled his lips as his mind worked furiously to devise a story. With his own children, bedtime stories had been treasured events where he had spun wild yarns to the delight of all three children. He eyed the Ewok and found inspiration whispering in his ear.

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there was a man named Han…uh, Handsome, who was forced to save the beautiful Princess Laney and her wayward brother, Lucifer, for they had become lost in the jungle. Lucifer was easy to find – men never truly get lost you see - but Laney was nowhere to be found. Chewie, Handsome's best friend in the whole galaxy, used his amazing ability to follow a scent and trailed the beautiful lost princess.

"On the way, Handsome's search party ran into these furry creatures called Ewoks." Han poked a finger into his muse as if to emphasize his point. "They surrounded Handsome and his band of merry men, but Handsome was not afraid. I knew… I mean, he knew the Ewoks would lead him to the princess."

Keira kicked her feet excitedly, then cuddled into the warmth provided by the fur of the doll. The same delicious fist found its way back into her mouth. Han smiled warmly as he rubbed a loving thumb across the silky soft skin of her forehead.

"So Handsome walked bravely into the Ewok village, surrounded by hundreds of savages – for these beasts were full of fire in their bellies and gnashing teeth beneath their deceptively cute exterior. But Handsome knew he needed to be brave for the princess's sake. Of course the others doubted, but Handsome was sure they would find Princess Laney a prisoner of the Ewoks. He was right of course. She was there, a captive, held against her will. She stood there so beautiful and proud, waiting for him to rescue her and declare his love."

"There was a fierce battle, and Handsome took care to spare as many Ewoks as possible for they were only protecting a precious jewel they had found. Who would have not wanted the magical princess for their own? In the end, he rescued the princess from the village. After the battle, the Ewoks threw themselves at Handsome's feet, awed by his prowess as a warrior.

Han smirked, proud of his fabrication so far. "The princess begged for forgiveness of her captors. She was a merciful woman, and Handsome was powerless to her feminine wiles. He was smart though and formed a plan quickly. An alliance was drawn up that day, a powerful alliance, without which the terrible Emperor, who wished to slay Laney and Lucifer, might never have been defeated. So you see, if Handsome had not saved the princess on that day who knows what might have become of that galaxy. As it was, Handsome married his Princess Laney, and they lived happily ever after."

Han drew in a breath as he gazed down at the now sleeping form of the tiny infant. In his eyes, she was the epitome of what was right in the galaxy – innocence and beauty wrapped up in the perfect package. He exhaled with a shudder. If not for the profound peace wafting through his mind, he might have jumped at the sultry sound of a voice trickling past his ear on a warm, tantalizing breath.

"My hero, the mighty Handsome Han."

Han balanced Keira delicately with both arms as he craned his neck to stare into two loving brown eyes. He felt the color rise in his cheeks with a flush. "A guy can dream."

Skirting the settee, Leia settled gently into the soft cushions, drawing her legs up beside her. "Every princess needs a hero."

She feathered a kiss on his lips before placing her head on his shoulder. Together, Han and Leia gazed down at Keira to watch the steady rise and fall of her life-giving breath. They were silent for a long while before Han spoke. "I am a whole lot luckier than that Handsome fellow could ever hope to be because right now I have two princesses in my arms."

President Fruto Kenkant of the Rolobian Domain had droned on forever about the merits of processing Uchin fruit pods before shipping versus the usual practice of shipping freshly harvested pods. A quick mental check revealed her forced smile was starting a wayward tumble to a frown again. Jaina started to exercise the facial muscles required to smile, noting it always seemed harder when that was not what your face wanted to do.

"Excuse me, President Kenkant. I need to steal Colonel Solo-Fel for important Jedi business." The sound of Kyp's voice was music to her ears, and Jaina found her smile grew with ease.

"Certainly, Master Durron."

Jaina bowed courteously and then acquiesced to the gentle tug on her elbow. Barely out of earshot, she leaned over to whisper into her friend's ear. "Thank the Maker, Kyp. I thought I was going to die of boredom. I swear I will never eat another Uchin fruit for as long as I live."

A sort of smile tickled the Master's lips. "Somehow I doubt that."

"What business do we have to discuss? Is it with Luke and Mara? I have barely had a chance to speak to them all night," she queried innocently.

"Nothing planet shattering really…"

Suddenly Kyp swept Jaina into an embrace, one hand planted on her tiny waist, the other grasped her hand. Before she realized what he had done, Kyp had them spinning in the flurry of dancers crowding the center of the Grand Hall's floor. The tune was a lively number, and Jaina had to focus for a few moments to catch the necessary steps. She giggled despite her annoyance at being conned into dancing. Her mood was entirely too foul to be parading around in such a carefree manner.

Kyp smiled down at her. "…just thought you would like to dance."

Furrowing her brows, Jaina called her partner out. "What are you up to, Kyp?"

He blinked his green eyes, feigning hurt. "Why am I always the first to be suspected for ulterior motives and scheming? Truth be told, Drue has been dealt the unsavory task of sucking up to her father and the rest of the Thyferran delegation. I, on the other hand, was summarily dismissed so as to not tarnish the unparalleled reputation Drue fabricated so we could get the hapless Bacta Cartels to fund the Dozen."

"Ah, so that's how you have a squadron of new X-wings."

Kyp, anticipating a sliver of an opening between two couples, whipped Jaina in a dizzying spin across the floor. "A perceptive one you are."

Jaina stepped away as the dance dictated so they were at arm's length, then back so Kyp could capture her once again. "So, to whom does the Dozen answer?"

"The Jedi Council," he answered matter-of-factly. "Tell me, where's your husband? I am surprised he had the nerve to leave you unchaperoned among the hungry masses."

"He's around." Jaina stared at Kyp's new green Jedi tunic, examining the intricate weave of the thread.

The song ended, and Kyp bowed with all the flourish of a nobleman while Jaina curtsied as decorum dictated. A slow melody wafted across the room after the band briefly acknowledged the applause. Jaina turned to step off the dance floor, but Kyp had other plans. She found herself firmly planted in his arms; their bodies were respectively separated, but it was definitely an intimate arrangement.

"Kyp…" she began to protest, still not meeting those all-knowing eyes boring into her.

A gentle finger elevated her chin. Jaina fought the urge to look at him, but the call was undeniable. "What happened?"

A single tear slipped out of the corner of Jaina's eye. "We had a fight."

He cocked her head side to side, all the while fighting a smirk. "Don't see any blood. How's the mere mortal?"

Jerking her head free, Jaina smacked her palm on his chest. "Stop it, Kyp. It's not funny."

"I suppose not." Kyp donned a formal mask. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head side to side. "Mmmm-uhhh."

"All right, let me venture a guess." He ignored her livid glower. "Jaina, in her mad desire to get Twin Suns going, ran around these last couple of days bent on her one objective, only to meet opposition at every turn. Colonel Jagged Fel, as luck would have it, falls into this stellar gig of commanding the most prestigious starfighter squadron to ever fly. Caught up in her own personal crisis, Jaina doesn't learn this fact until after the ink has dried, as the saying goes. How am I doing?"

Jaina balked in place, refusing to participate in the dance further. "You've been talking to Jag?"

"No." He wrestled Jaina back into compliance, forcing her feet to move with his powerful arms. "Word of Jag's new command is circulating like wild fire. Meanwhile you are over here putting off Jaina-heat-waves like none of the Jedi have ever felt before."

"If I wasn't in this dress…"

"Yes, well we have had that conversation once before," he offered with some mirth. "You are at a disadvantage, seeing as it is physically impossible to channel the Force in that dress." Her look was one of pure disgust, and Kyp could not help but laugh. "I must say you are lovelier than I remember - fiery temper and all."

"Kyp," she hissed a warning. "The Dark Side is very tempting at this moment."

This time Kyp stopped, dragging her to a halt before him. "Jaina, talk to Jag. Time is too precious to waste on static in the comm lines. You should be proud of what he has accomplished, not ripped because you weren't in on the deal. There is not a thing that man would not do for you, and I know the same is true the other way. I know you though; you forget sometimes there is more than just Jaina involved. You have got a husband and baby. You have to learn to give – in everything."

Kyp finished his lecture curtly, then resumed his trek across the dance floor with Jaina in tow. Remarkably she did not argue, bark, or even mutter a cold reply. She simply followed his lead. That was until Kyp spun her out of his arms and into the path of another couple.

"Colonel Fel."

Jag drew his feet together slowly before turning to address his caller. He heaved in a breath, drawing back his shoulders proudly to hide the bitter defeat pounding in his heart. After an hour of enduring one congratulatory backslap after another, Jag had found the perfect opportunity to escape. That was until the Queen of Hapes had summoned him.

He about-faced smartly on his heel and forced a smile his heart could not back. "Your Majesty."

To his dismay, Jacen was escorting Tenel Ka. If Jaina's twin knew anything was wrong, he did a masterful job of concealing it. Jag offered a polite nod then turned his focus back to Tenel Ka, who seemed to have changed from shrewd Jedi warrior princess to serene world leader with ease.

"I was wondering, Colonel Fel, if you might do me the honor of escorting me in a dance."

Jag glanced to the dance floor first, where the occupants were whipping around to an upbeat tune, then to Jacen, who was respectfully distancing himself. Completing the circuit, he met Tenel Ka's royal gaze. Jag tipped his head respectfully before offering his arm. "It would be my honor."

She smiled politely. "Perfect."

Not more than a few short steps later, Jag was guiding the Queen of Hapes in an intricate series of steps. She whispered in a discreet tone while matching his lead with alarming proficiency. "Thank you for the trouble, Jag." She slipped into a less formal tone when prying ears were unable to make out their conversation between the music and rustle of material floating across the dance floor. "I was trying to avoid the inevitable rumors of Jacen becoming my future consort if we continued in the same manner for the rest of the evening."

"I see," he offered curtly. "Then I am a diversion."

"That is a fact. And a safe one at that."

Jag's lips pursed. "I am married."

Tenel Ka tipped her head. "You are a perceptive man."

The couple danced in silence for the length of the bridge, where a particularly involved series of footwork required concentration on both their parts. As the melody of the chorus started anew, the steps were more familiar. Tenel Ka's expression reflected her respect for the precision with which Jag had completed the elaborate part of the dance.

"Most impressive."

A slight curl of the corner of Jag's mouth was the first sign that he was enjoying the Queen's company at all. "On Hapes, Jaina told me the trophy room was full of the mounted heads of those who had stepped on your toes."

Tenel Ka's unmoving royal mask caused him to squirm momentarily, fearing he had spoken out of turn. Finally, she spoke smoothly, "Worried for your own skull, Colonel Fel?"

"Should I be?"

"No, I will not claim the head of my dear friend Jaina's husband. You have passed the test. My toes are intact."

The music ended with a flourish, and Tenel Ka spun away, bobbing with a regal flair to match Jag's polite Imperial bow. Jag offered his arm to escort the Queen back from the floor as the band struck up a slower song. To his dismay, the redhead motioned with open arms that she desired one more dance. Jag stifled his consternation with the steely will honed from years among the Chiss and gracefully took Tenel Ka back into his arms.

There was nothing comfortable or comforting about where he was at that particular moment. The air between Jag and his wife's friend was riddled with unspoken questions, and his only thought was that he desired only one woman before him, whom he could hold tight and tell how much he loved. The air was too thick with bitter feelings and distrust at the moment to make his wish a reality.

His thoughts were broken by the clipped voice of the Hapan Queen. "You are thinking about her." He met Tenel Ka's piercing eyes that saw right through him. "Your thoughts cause you much pain."

"Am I that open of a book to you Jedi," he jested with some disdain.

"My Jedi senses are not what tells me this, but rather my eyes. For a man that has just been given the most prized post for fighter pilots galaxy-wide your face shows only a man concerned with what he does not have."

In a bold move, Tenel Ka actually led the dance for a refrain, but Jag was so involved in deliberating his reply, he hardly noticed. "My success seems to have been my enemy today."

"Success is never your enemy, only those who wish to deny your success." She studied Jag for a heartbeat. "Is Jaina your enemy today?"

Jag chuckled. "In a strange twist of fate, I suppose so. The play for Twin Suns did not work out as she would have hoped, and my fortune was…a surprise."

"If I recall correctly, Jaina can be single-minded when she gets something in her crosshairs. You must demand that she listen."

"Easier said than done."

"Yes, but you are the one chosen for her. The Force put you two together for a reason. You were meant to be her sounding board, her guide, her counsel…" Tenel Ka ignored her partner's snort. "Jaina is young still; she needs these things and more. I know your thoughts. How can one make the deaf listen?" She had his attention now and his respect. "In our Jedi training, we learn there is always a way to communicate. Sometimes we simply must learn a new language."

"Aside from tying her to a chair and rattling off my bullet points, I am at a loss."

"No, you are not. There is always a way." Tenel Ka paused as another couple swept close enough to listen to their conversation. A simple spin swept the Queen and her partner away. "But first you must understand her personal demons."

"I am her husband. I know better than most about her brush with the dark side and the horrific price she paid fulfilling her role as the Sword of the Jedi."

Tenel Ka curtly interrupted, "Do you know why Jaina was called the Sword of the Jedi?"

"Yes, her uncle made the declaration at your knighting ceremony. She has fulfilled the prophecy." Jag had the uneasy feeling that the queen was not only leading the dance at times but the conversation as well.

"To a point."

Jag furrowed his brow. "But I thought…"

"I know my friend Jaina well enough to know what you were made to think. She told you only enough, but not the whole story." Tenel Ka paused. "I tell you this despite the fact that Jaina may refuse my friendship for doing so, but I believe you must understand. Not only did Master Skywalker declare her the Sword of the Jedi, forever to be in the front rank of our fight. He said more."

Jag eye's harbored fear as he peered across the distance. "He told Jaina she would never know peace, that she would stand tall and alone." Tenel Ka paused. "This is the terrible burden she bears. It drives her fears and makes it hard for her to think past tomorrow. Imagine going through life waiting for the rest of the prophecy to be fulfilled."

"Maybe Luke was wrong. Maybe it was only as long as she was the Sword. She is not alone, so it might be wrong. Aren't you Jedi always touting that the future is forever in motion," he argued.

"Yes, that is fact. But it goes without saying that the likelihood that it is true is equally…"

"It's not," he snapped. "She is not alone. She fulfilled her part of the bargain. Why can't the Jedi or the Force or whoever just leave her alone to enjoy her family? Why is it always about everyone else and never about her?"

Tenel Ka's eyes never faltered in their forthright stare as he finished. Jag felt his breathing become ragged with the tight force binding his chest. He needed to get away. He needed quiet. He needed Jaina.

"It is our burden – the burden of the Jedi." The Queen's face showed no judgment for his harsh words, only a profound sadness. "Many of us have been forced down a path that we would have otherwise not chosen. Thankfully, Jaina was allowed the chance to love and be loved in return."

Jag cringed inwardly; painfully aware of the terrible choices Tenel Ka had made herself. "I apologize…"

"That is not necessary, my friend. I did not say these things to alarm you or upset you. A lesser man would not be able to absorb the terrible implications of what I said, but you are not an average man. There is a battle ahead, Jagged. You must be armed with every bit of knowledge available if you are to succeed." Her green eyes bore into him as if she was willing her thoughts into his. "Now go make your wife understand she _must_ have faith in you. Prove to Jaina that she is not alone."

Abruptly Tenel Ka spun away with alarming speed, and Jag was momentarily disoriented by the quick action. As his dancing partner disappeared into the arms of another. Blinking twice Jag opened his eyes to find a pair of beautiful orbs the color of delicious caf swimming before him. "Jaina," he breathed.

They stood there locked in a strange moment of time, alone in a sea of movement, but neither of them moving. Jaina's eyes welled up with an ocean's worth of sadness. A single tear threatened to escape and steal the beauty of her face. Jag reached for it instinctively, his palm cupping her cheek, a thumb catching the bandit.

Her face was warm, flushed with the exertion of dancing, and her chest rose and fell silently. Still neither of them moved. That was until Jaina's fingers came up to wrap around the hand on her cheek. Jag felt the tremble and captured the shaking digits in his grasp. Jaina lips moved in a whisper.

"I'm sorry."

"Not here."

Jag, now instilled with a new purpose, broke for the edge of the dance floor, dodging couples as they drifted past as gracefully as if there were repulsors on their feet. His firm grip locked his wife to his path, winding and hesitating in an artful retreat. Finally, they were free and moving swiftly toward an opening that led to the balustrade-lined walkway to other parts of the Palace complex.

Falling into the shadows of an alcove, Jag finally swung around to face Jaina. He was caught unaware by the sheer force of her body tumbling into his chest. Jag steadied his stance at the same time as his own arms chose to match Jaina's breathtaking grip around his waist. Here, in his arms, she felt so right.

"Can you ever forgive me," she begged into the folds of his jacket. "I have been so wrong, so self-involved…"

Jag ran a palm through the collection of curls. "We have both been wrong."

She forced herself away, craning her neck to stare into his apologetic eyes. "No," she shook her head, "I did this. Everything I said was wrong; everything I have done was wrong. I wish I could take it all back. I wish…"

Her voice was cut off by the pair of lips that captured her mouth. A pair of calloused palms flanked her cheeks, allowing for no avenue of escape. She eagerly accepted the gesture, as anxious to reaffirm her love as her husband was to taste it. And taste it he did, with a flurry of hungry kisses placed one on top of the other in a display of shameless gluttony.

It was Jaina who put a stop to the ravaging battle of passions. His hands fell to her shoulders as she pushed him away with two palms applied powerfully to his chest. "I did not mean what I said about the _Legacy_. I love it more than you can ever know," she panted.

Curling the corner of his mouth up in that hint of a smile that was his trademark, Jag did not answer immediately. His eyes simply searched her face. "I know."

"And I didn't mean what I said about you making plans without me. You had good reason every time. Besides, I am a fine one to speak…"

"Jaina?" Here she was, confirming every point he had marked on his mental checklist, knocking the blow out of every argument by her own simple admissions, and all he wanted her to do was stop.

"…really. I mean you should have been the first one I turned to about Twin Suns. It's just you are so accomplished, and I feel utterly insufficient as a commander when you point out all the flaws in my plans…"

"Jaina." He merely wanted to tell her everything was going to be all right.

"…but I shouldn't really. You are only trying to help and make me a better leader. I need to learn…"

"Jaina. Be quiet!"

"…to listen," her voice trailed off and even in the obscurity of the shadows he could make out the rosy tinge of her cheeks.

Jag could not help but to chuckle. "Yes, you should. Listen, that is." Jag grasped her hands in his, studying their apparent frailty beneath his evident strength. "There are many things right about our marriage, but many things we need to fix. These things – relationships – they are never perfect. They are as flawed as the individuals that make up the union. Do you know what our biggest flaw is?"

Blinking for a moment, she processed an answer. "We're both always right."

A bolder grin graced Jag's lips, and a row of white teeth illustrated his approval of the reply. "I could not have said it better. We are independent and head-strong and willful to a fault. As with any flaw it could be our undoing or it could be our survival. Jaina, I swear I will try harder to listen and seek your approval, and no, you are not completely at fault. There were many things I need to improve on myself." He inhaled sharply. "I need you to swear you will try to do just that as well. I need you to listen to me; I need you to value my opinion above all others. Can you do this?"

A sharp clearing of a throat caused both Jaina and Jag to jump. The intimacy was ripped away with all the harshness of a dousing with a frigid bucket of water. Jag spun to confront the interruption with a frosty gleam in his eyes. The Intel officer assigned as their escort for the evening stood ramrod stiff, not doing a very good job of hiding his discomfort by the rigid set of his jaw.

"Excuse me, sir, but I have been ordered to retrieve Colonel Solo-Fel."

"Now is not a good time," Jag hissed in a chillingly harsh tone. "Come back later."

The man gulped sharply but refused to be swayed. "I must insist that Colonel Solo-Fel come with me. She is needed at Intel Headquarters."

Jaina stepped out from behind Jag, where he had carefully positioned her initially. She had to unwrap her arm from his grip to do so. "Is there some sort of trouble?"

The Intel officer relaxed visibly upon hearing Jaina's inquisitive tone. "I can't say, Colonel. I'm just following orders."

Jag, in the meantime, fought back the bile surging in his stomach. Again he felt as if the call of duty was thwarting him at every turn. At one time, honor and service were all he knew. Now, he felt like he was locked in some grand battle with the part of him that had been his rock and guide in life. A tentative touch on his arm blazed with warmth through the layers of his uniform. Jag lowered his scowling face to gaze into the one thing that he wanted to know as his center. His bitter emotions calmed instantly, rolling back like a wave receding on the sand.

A sincere smile tickled her lips, subtle enough to hide from others the depth of the love flowing from it. "You will come with me?"

Jag tipped his head. "There is nowhere I would rather be."


	11. The Bridge

CHAPTER 10

After trailing down her husband's black uniform jacket, her fingertips traced along the lifeline of the palm she found until two sets of fingers intertwined so they were one. Jag tightened his grip, confirming to Jaina that they were back on track. Maybe not running on all engines quite yet, but repairs were under way.

The sense of urgency was undeniable in the movement of the Intel officer leading the way as he continuously communicated through his personal earpiece as they went. Dashing through the bustling crowd, another Intel officer joined the trio, then another. They just kept coming in an endless stream. Revelers scooted aside, sensing the urgent passing of the war hero and the new Rogue Squadron Commander. Whispers were swelling in the inquisitive air, and speculation was thick as a dense morning fog. Jaina tightened her personal shields to ward off the bombardment of emotions, only keeping her connection to Jag.

For that reason, she almost missed the gathering of Jedi clustered in an inconspicuous corner right before the massive doors of the Grand Hall. Catching sight of the group, Jaina broke formation, tugging Jag right along with her. She ignored the hurried questions of her escort and continued the trek to her counterparts.

Kyp, who she queried silently in their bond, noticed her advance first. He stepped aside to allow her access to the tight circle. The passel of guards backed down when they recognized the others in the gathering, including Luke and Mara Skywalker and Kenth Hamner.

Jaina got straight to the point. "Do you know what's happening? I was summoned to Intel Headquarters."

Luke used his blue eyes to form a connection with Jaina. He sent calming waves to her as he answered the question. "There was an attack on a fueling station on the Rimma Trade Route. The vessel that happened past and found the devastation brought the sole survivor directly here. You are being taken to see her."

"Why me?"

Mara, standing next to her in the circle, grabbed Jaina's hand. She swiveled her head to greet her former Master. There was a dark concern in the woman's eyes. "From what we have been told, the survivor asked to be taken to you. Based on the odd nature of her request and in the manner it was made, we believe she is carrying a message left during the attack – a message for you."

Jaina's eyes danced in front of Mara's as her brain processed the information. "And you think it is from Zekk?" Jag's hand crushed hers instinctively.

"Yes." Luke answered in that oddly unflappable tone he was famous for among the Jedi. Meeting his solid, unwavering gaze, Jaina confirmed she could handle this situation with a nod of understanding. Luke's feelings of pride in his niece were not missed in their unspoken communication. "I want to send a representative of the Council with you. I would go, but it would be disruptive if I left a reception to honor the Jedi Praxeum."

After the hard lessons of the evening, Jaina recognized Luke was not belittling her abilities, just sending support. "That's wise. We can all go in my speeder."

In the strange way Jedi often connected, a silent conversation led to Luke acknowledging a sudden impulse from Kyp with a tip of his head. Kyp pivoted out of the group in a flurry of green robes to disappear back to the party. In that same intermingling of thoughts, Jaina sensed something faintly out of place in her aunt. A cursory glance out of the corner of her eye revealed to Jaina that Mara was standing tall, her complexion the same rosy hue it had been in the last couple of days.

And yet, Jaina still harbored her suspicions. "I would like my former Master there as well." Jaina willed her hidden agenda to Luke in their bond.

Luke hesitated, his mouth opening silently as blue eyes darted from niece to wife and back again. His widening pupils told he recognized the signs as well. "I do not think she will be _too_ missed."

Before Mara could mouth a protest, Jaina ushered her aunt out of the circle. She whispered in the older woman's ear. "I think your husband is wise in many ways." A firm grip was all that was required to keep Mara moving to the exit, where their escorts waited anxiously. Jaina's suspicions were all but confirmed by the lack of fight in the normally belligerent Jedi Master.

Passing through the massive doors, Jaina eyed her husband, who had flanked her on the opposite side as Mara. A quick flick of the head sent Jag in a maneuver around the women with the ease of a fighter dancing in space. He took Mara's arm protectively. The trip down the steps was more telling than Mara's complacent demeanor as she leaned heavily on the young couple with each passing step.

Jaina whispered in Mara's ear. "You pushed too hard. You need to take better care of yourself for the baby's sake."

"You're a fine one to talk," was the growled reply.

Jaina chose to ignore the hormonal woman until they arrived at the speeder. Jag graciously aided Mara through the open door. When he turned back to offer Jaina a hand, she was yelling over the din of the crowd at the head of the escort detail. "We need to make a stop at the Skywalker residence."

The grim man shook his head, all business. "Can't be done, Colonel Solo-Fel. I have my orders."

Jaina puffed up indignantly. "Well, change them. It's on the way." She spotted Kyp, now free of his other commitments, coming down the stairs, his feet skimming each step with amazing speed. If the man put up too big a fight, she would have plenty of back-up in the mind manipulation department.

The Intel officer beckoned toward the open speeder door. "Please, Colonel. I must insist you get in the speeder."

Jaina crossed her arms defiantly. She noticed Jag and Kyp share a conspiratorial grin as the Intel officer started to turn red with frustration. The poor man never had a chance standing there with Jaina Solo-Fel, Galactic Hero, backed by Jagged Fel, Rogue Squadron Commander, and Kyp Durron, the Destroyer of Carida. The Intel officer caved quickly, placing a quick call through his comm before turning his perturbed gaze back to Jaina.

"We will stop by the Skywalker residence on the way."

Jaina flashed her most endearing smile before accepting Jag's assistance to duck into the passenger compartment. Jag and Kyp were barely within the snug confines when a sudden acceleration tossed them unceremoniously into their seats, Jag landing next to Jaina facing back, Kyp ending next to Mara facing fore.

Jaina kept her focus on Mara, thankful more than ever that she had recognized the signs of her aunt's sickness. Kyp picked up instantly on the flagging form next to him. He slid a leg up on the seat so he could better see the redheaded Master, her head wearily resting on the back of the seat and a hand wrapped around her midsection.

Kyp looked sideways to Jaina, curiosity in his eyes. "Is she okay?"

Mara flung her head off the seat to address her fellow Jedi Master. "I'm not dead, if that's what you're worried about."

Jaina ignored her aunt's caustic sputtering and batted her eyes at Kyp. "Mara is feeling a bit under the weather. You're so much better at healing than I, perhaps you can help relieve her ails."

"Really that's not…"

Jaina reached forward and shoved Mara back with a firm hand as the woman protested. "Give it a chance. It can never hurt to try." Mara's back landed against the seat and a _swoosh_ of air left her lungs. Jaina gave Kyp no opportunity to argue with her stern, demanding gaze. "Go on. Help the poor woman."

Kyp placed a hand on Mara's forehead and shut his eyes, falling into the healing web of the Force with ease. Jaina half-watched his face as she kept the rest of her divided focus on her aunt. Mara's scowl relaxed as some degree of hope flickered in her eyes. Jaina had felt that same desire for relief some time ago; she recognized the fleeting hope that anything might quell the agony inside.

A familiar sickening expression wafted across Kyp's face, and he withdrew his hand like it had touched fire. "Son of a Sith!" Jaina and Jag snickered, and even Mara's shoulders bobbed once or twice in silent laughter. "Jaina, some day I'll make you pay for that," he growled as nausea bloomed in his features.

Mara rolled onto her side, curling into herself. "I am glad my morning sickness can be a source of pleasure for you, young lady."

"Sorry, Master." Jaina affected her most apologetic tone.

"No, you're not," Kyp argued.

Mara curled one corner of her mouth up in a rueful smile. "See Kyp, we can agree on something."

The halls of Intel Headquarters were not the usual quiet that Fee would have expected for the late hour. Strolling along the corridor, she kept close to the wall as agents and personnel shuffled past hurriedly. She contemplated questioning one of them, but the tight knot in her gut warned of some sense of urgency. So she ducked her head and forged toward the main entrance, the only way in or out after standard working hours.

Slipping past the guard station, Fee marched purposefully toward the exit, which swished open when its automatic sensors detected her arrival. A gruff voice halted Fee in her tracks.

"Excuse us."

Lifting her chin to acknowledge the request, Fee back stepped into the foyer to make way for a team of uniformed Intel officers. She saw the agitated look in the leader's eyes and tried to casually glance around as the group passed.

"Fee?" Her eyes darted back to the familiar feminine voice. She found Jaina, dressed in a stunning red gown, with Jag at her right arm and another ruggedly handsome Jedi on her left, being ushered into the Intel Headquarters. "What are you still doing here?"

"Uh, trying to tie up loose ends," Fee stumbled over her words.

Jaina stopped where she was, her lips curled thoughtfully. "Would it be possible to persuade you to stay a while longer? I may need your assistance."

Glancing around at the grim faces surrounding Jaina, Fee determined something really serious was in the making. These were the times, when her heart was set to pounding with anticipation and her best was the only possible effort, that Fee felt like she truly was making a difference. She tipped her head to signal her acceptance of the offer.

"Good." Jaina eyed the head of the escort contingent. "Let's go." Fee dropped into step behind the odd party, feeling slightly underdressed as she noted the formal attire all around. Jaina flipped her head back to speak with their newest addition. "Fee, this is Kyp Durron. He's a…" Jaina followed Fee's gaze to the middle-aged Jedi next to her, who offered a roguish grin. "He's Kyp."

"Nice to meet you, Master Durron." Fee nodded politely as the group turned down the hall leading to the limited medical facility within the confines of the Headquarters building. Her curiosity was instantly piqued, since the facility was reserved mostly for treating criminals brought in for interviews. The guards pulled up outside a door while Jaina led the rest of the group in through the opening.

Iella, dressed in a full-length sheath of azure sea cotton covered in a delicate lace embroidered with flowers, pivoted to welcome the arriving troupe. She greeted Jaina first. "Don't you look lovely. I saw you from afar at the reception. Sorry we had to yank you out of the festivities early."

Clutching her husband's hand, Jaina dismissed the apology with a polite smile. "Duty calls, I guess, and I don't even have a command yet."

"All things in time." Iella placed a comforting hand on Jaina's bare shoulder. She guided Jaina to the observation window; the others followed. "An old friend of mine, and Kyp's I suppose, was in pursuit of a stolen shipment of ykronium when he ran across a fueling depot that had come under attack."

They all stopped before the window, Jaina and Iella in the front, to stare through the one way mirror. Fee's suppositions were thrown to the wind. Huddled on the medbunk, a petite female, who was definitely not a prisoner, sat with her knees drawn to her chest in an effort to disappear into herself. Beside the bunk, a dark-haired man rested in a chair, his eyes trained on his ward, his hand casually resting on the pristine white sheets next to her.

The Jedi Master spoke, "That's Daron Tyor."

Iella acknowledged Kyp for the first time with her eyes. "Yes." She turned back to study the scene within the sterile room. "Daron told me that only this girl was spared. Since the fueling station was nearby on the Rimma Trade Route, he brought her here straight away. She has been unresponsive since he found her, only talking once." Iella's eyes focused solely on Jaina. "She told Daron she had a message to deliver."

"A message for me."

The only indication that Jaina was correct was Iella's lowered eyes. "I don't know what to tell you to expect. She took quite a beating. I would send someone in with you but I am afraid…"

Jaina placed her hand on the skin of Iella's arm. "I'll be fine." Then the brunette swung her head to offer a reassuring smile to her husband before striding for the door to the next room.

Fee stood among the tiny cluster, all eyes trained on Jaina as she acknowledged the girl's guardian. They exchanged words and parted ways, Daron exiting the way Jaina had just come in. No introductions were made as he joined the others to watch the events unfolding through the one-way mirror.

Slipping over to the medbunk, Jaina settled her hip onto the edge. The girl seemed to disappear into the wall. With the practiced patience, Jaina began to speak to her while remaining utterly motionless otherwise. Other times, she would simply sit quietly. After several minutes of this with no noticeable reaction, Jag's voice broke the silence.

"You said the fueling station was on the Rimma Trade Route nearby."

Iella continued her vigil as she answered, "Yes."

Jag did not continue with his thought as the girl finally lifted her head. The silence in the air grew a little thicker as the realization struck that this woman was hand-picked for a specific reason. Peering out of brown bangs were a pair of brown eyes nestled in a heart-shaped face so similar to Jaina's it was astonishing. She was probably of similar in age as well, but it was hard to tell past the bruises and cuts.

The moment passed, and Jag cleared his throat before resuming his thoughts. "What station was it?"

"_Commencion Station_," Daron answered.

The sharp hiss of air sucking into Jag's lungs drew all eyes to him. Furrowing her brows, Iella questioned her nephew, "Jag, what is it?"

Jag closed his eyes slowly as if to deny some truth then reopened them, still focusing on Jaina in the room next door. "_Commencion Station_ belongs to the Kale family. Tanner Kale was my XO when I was charged with clearing out the Hydian Way."

Iella exchanged an excited look with Daron. "Perhaps we have our first lead to figuring out who this mysterious young lady is." Then she turned to Fee. "Can you pull Tanner Kale's military record up and see what we have on his family?"

"Certainly." Fee spared a final glance at Jaina and the messenger, locked again in a sort of stalemate, Jaina talking, the girl listening behind wary eyes.

From the dataterminal in the far corner of the room, Fee quickly accessed the file of Tanner Kale using her clearance codes. Lieutenant Colonel Tanner Kale was commanding Enforcer Squadron, now part of the Naboo Defense Force. She found a letter dated shortly after the end of the war requesting Enforcer Squadron be placed with the Naboo Defense Force. Fee suspected this was due to the proximity of Naboo to his family's station.

Background files showed Tanner had one sister, Kyta Kale, and both parents listed as living. No holo captures were available. Switching to the Naboo Defense Force network, it took little effort for Fee to pull up the assignment rosters for the day. With security at an all time high because of the Jedi Praxeum dedication the next day, not one squadron was off-duty. Finding the information she required, Fee marched back to Iella's side.

"Lieutenant Colonel Tanner Kale is on patrol over Naboo, part of the Enforcer Squadron."

Blinking twice as if to allow her eyes time to escape the scene in the next room, Iella swiveled her head to face her operative. Her eyes reflected respect for Fee' s efficiency. "Excellent work. I'll make a call to get him over here." With that Iella stepped away, pulling her commlink to her lips.

Fee barely noticed Iella's conversation as she turned back to the observation window. The young woman was sitting cross-legged, no longer huddled against the wall, facing Jaina. Something had changed in the girl's eyes. Jaina, who was trying to appear casual despite the limitations of her dress, leaned forward; the girl tipped her head, then lifted her hand right hand in an agonizingly slow move. When she finally brushed aside the bangs, electric energy raced around the room as everyone recognized the symbol scorched into her forehead.

The symbol of Yun-Harla blazed brilliantly against the girl's ashen skin, and its ties to Jaina were known to all. The Trickster symbol scarring this innocent must have struck the galactic hero like a gut blow. Fee thought she could almost imagine the pain like it were her own. Someone obviously wanted to deliver a powerful message through the attack on_ Commencion Station_. Jaina's rigid posture was a clear indicator that the message blaring out from that forehead was getting through loud and clear.

As if wanting to know the full extent of the message, Jaina stretched her arm across the distance separating the two women. Iella, finished with her call, joined the others just as Jaina's palm touched the burnt flesh. Fee gasped audibly when a flurry of images bombarded her senses at a rate that made it impossible to process. Just as abruptly, the images ceased, and the room erupted into chaos.

"No!" The Jedi Master's painful cry as he broke for the door startled Fee out of her stupor.

With unimaginable speed he raced into the room in a flurry of robes, Jag on his heels. The others followed. Inside the interior room, Jaina had stood from the medbunk. She was holding her right hand up, staring at it in disbelief. Kyp had gotten to her first, taking her hand in his own. A whimper was the only sound Jaina made before her knees gave way. Her husband caught her in the nick of time.

Fee, realizing Jaina had more attention than one woman could really handle, rushed to the side of the girl. Daron and Iella started to follow her, then hesitated, wary of overwhelming the fragile senses of the young woman. Settling onto the bunk, Fee met with a face she had known all too well in her life. Up close, the bruises and wounds were hideous and frightful. The cruelty necessary to inflict such pain on another was one Fee had confronted more times than she would ever care to admit. Except this time, the pain was another's.

Settling onto the bunk, Fee held the girl's stare. Her eyes wandered for a moment, trying to assess the victim's emotional state, until they were captured by the smooth appearance beneath the brown straggle of bangs. Instinctively, Fee reached for the girl's forehead, disbelief overpowering the sensibility to be cautious. The girl jumped back, reminding Fee to take care. She held her hand up, absolutely still, waiting.

"Kyta?"

The girl blinked several times.

"Kyta, I won't hurt you. No one else will ever hurt you."

Fee felt her shoulders relax. It had been a hunch, but the sense of recognition made it plain that her guess about the girl's identity was right. And in that recognition there was some acceptance. Fee took the release of the fearfully gleam in the girl's eyes as a sign. Slowly, she continued her hand's journey until her fingers just grazed the curtain of hair. Fee inhaled sharply. In all her years, she had never seen such a thing. The symbol that had been burning angrily, not more than a minute before, was gone.

The medical droid finished applying a bacta bandage to Jaina's hand amid last minute instructions, then disappeared, leaving her alone with her thoughts. Frowning, she eyed the bulky covering, which severely limited her range of motion. For a moment, Jaina almost thought she could see the Trickster emblem blazing through the bandage. She shut her eyes to banish the image. Refusing to feel sorry for herself, Jaina eyed the battered young woman being treated on the medbunk across the room; Fee sitting at her side through it all.

The Intel officer had more than proven her worth by her actions this night. She had remained at Kyta's side throughout the ordeal, offering reassurances while the medical staff treated the various wounds. As Jaina watched, she suspected Fee shared some affinity to the battered victim, a bond the Intel officer might not ever admit to others. Finally, all the treatments were over, and Kyta settled back on the medbunk, allowing Fee to draw the sheets up over her legs.

The door swept open and Kyp walked into the room with a grim line where his mouth usually resided. Meeting Jaina's brown gaze, the Jedi Master managed a smile. Her attention swayed for a moment at the sight of Jag just beyond the door. Her husband had stepped out to speak to Tanner; they both felt Tanner deserved to hear the news from a friend. The simple smile she had tried to give Kyp vanished with the waves of sadness flowing from the other room.

"Hey, you fixed?" Kyp queried.

Jaina held up her bandaged hand, studying it with some disdain. "That's what they tell me."

As Kyp dropped onto the medbunk beside her, he gently tucked the injured arm under his own. Warming tendrils of the Force spread through her hand and arm, quelling the throbbing pain still reminding Jaina of the message that had come along with the injury. Up until this point, she had avoided the horrifying moment – the rush, the vision, the pain. Now, with Kyp offering his comfort, there was nothing else to do but remember.

Kyp broke the awkward silence that hung in the air. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "Maybe later."

"All right, I'll be here when you need me."

"I know." Even more was said in their unspoken bond.

Just then, the door opened again. Jag led Tanner into the room, his face white with shock. The devastated man had only eyes for one person. Jag came to his wife's side, and together they watched the brother reunite with his sister. For the first time, Kyta uttered a sound. It started as a pained cry just as Fee moved out of the way and Tanner fell onto the bed to wrap Kyta in his arms. Tanner whispered soothing words as his sister plead for comfort with ever-increasing mournful wails.

"Momma…Momma…" The rest was lost in hiccoughs and sobs.

Jaina looked at the girl, whose life had been destroyed in one terrible act, and tears formed in her eyes. Jag's hand touched the skin of her arm and she shivered. Two pairs of green eyes were focusing on her and not the tragic reunion; all Jaina felt was an overwhelming wave of unworthiness. _How can I be the object of so much love and devotion while Kyta is left with almost nothing?_

Without even realizing what was going on around her, Jaina mindlessly complied as Jag urged her to stand. He draped his uniform jacket over her shoulder tenderly and tried to will Jaina's watery eyes to look into his green pools. "Jaina…Jaina?" Her eyes finally focused. "Let's go."

A tip of the head signaled her acquiescence, and together, the trio moved toward the exit. Iella, who had been watching Tanner and Kyta through the one-way mirror, turned her troubled face to greet the others.

"How are you, Jaina?"

"I'm fine." Jaina waited for the obvious question to follow, dreading having to give an answer to something she could not name. The question never came. She wondered if Kyp had said something to the others.

As if confirming her suspicions, the green-eyed Jedi spoke up. "I should get going."

Jaina lifted her chin and craned her head to the left in order to question Kyp directly. "Are you going back to talk to the Council?"

Kyp and Iella exchanged a hurried glance before he addressed the question. "No, I'm taking the Dozen out to _Commencion Station_." Panic clutched at Jaina's heart. She relayed it through the fingers of her good hand as they dug into Kyp's green tunic. He settled his hand over hers. "I'll be fine," Kyp stated confidently.

"Can't someone else go?"

Kyp blinked slowly, just once. "There is no one else."

"I don't think it is a good idea." Panic trickled into her voice.

"I have six Jedi in the Dozen…"

"Are you taking Valin?"

"He's still part of the squadron," Kyp answered calmly.

"He can't go," Jaina snapped. "It's too dangerous. You know what he wants. I won't let him take everything away from me!" Not until she finished did Jaina realize that she had Kyp's hind clutched tightly under her bare-knuckled grip.

With the gentlest touch, Kyp lifted the injured hand to join the other. The throbbing pain beating in time with her wounded heart receded as her partner shared the burden. He willed her to meet his unwavering gaze. "I have to go. There have been…" He hesitated, as if he was unsure he was doing the right thing. "There have been other similar attacks. We have to figure out who or what is behind all of this."

Jaina felt herself sway, but Kyp held her firm. "Where?"

Another arm locked around her waist from behind. Jag's voice was calm and low in her ear. "Jaina, there were attacks on Ando, Kalarba, and as close as Umgul - all decisive and devastating. Kyp has no choice."

Shutting her eyes again, hoping to wake from this living nightmare, Jaina leaned into Jag. She felt his resolve in the embrace of his arms. He was right, of course. Opening her eyes, she stared at Kyp for a couple of heartbeats. "Be careful," she whispered. "He is more powerful than we could ever imagine."

"I know."

Jaina met Kyp's knowing eyes. "Take care of Valin." _Take care of yourself._ The pain in her partner's features and the open wound in his heart let Jaina know that Kyp indeed had seen everything as Zekk had intended in their bond. In the same moment, Kyp's steely will assured her that he would never allow the rogue Jedi's design to come to fruition, at least not as long as there was breath in his body. He tipped his head while squeezing the good hand gently before making haste for the exit.

With Kyp gone, Jaina felt the heavy burden on her heart descend as the distance between them grew. She felt him withdraw until he was but a whisper in her heart. She let him go, knowing her friend would need to focus completely on the task at hand. All that was left was the comfort of Jag, but it was more than enough. She inhaled his strength and love in a deep breath.

"I should take Jaina home," Jag spoke to Iella.

Iella forced a weary smile. "Yes, that would be wise. I will call for the speeder to meet you out front. I should stay here to see if Fee was able to get any information from the girl."

"Good night, Iella." Jag nudged his wife toward the door as she too mumbled a goodbye.

Mindlessly, Jaina allowed Jag to guide her out the corridor and along the bustling halls of the Intel headquarters. The heightened state of anxiety filling the atmosphere started to seep into her awareness. She paused in the main lobby, absorbing the sights and sounds of an awake building that should have, for all rights, been asleep. Zekk had done this – and not just to her alone.

"Jaina, let's go." Jag tugged on her arm.

Spinning in place, Jaina craned her head to meet Jag's concerned gaze. Her focus was returning. "I have to do something."

"All right. After the dedication ceremony we can discuss your options."

She shook her head defiantly. "No, I have to do something now. If I must, I'll go to Wedge. I'll take whatever they will give me for Twin Suns."

Jag grasped Jaina roughly by the shoulders. "No, you won't." She started to protest, thinking he was going to insist she rest, but Jag trudged over her efforts. "I don't know what happened in that room. And I am willing to wait until you are ready to talk about it. What I will not do is stand by and let Zekk squash our dreams. Your dream is Twin Suns; I will not allow you to settle because of this."

"I don't know what to do," she replied dejectedly. "How can I afford the time to devise a working plan and play the political game necessary to get what I want? He's a threat today."

"If you are desperate, think of how the government feels." The idea started the wheels turning in Jaina's mind, powering the sparkle in her eyes. Now that Jag had her undivided attention, he continued. "They are short on pilots after the war and have too many fronts to defend. Those attacks today were strategically close to Naboo, probably to throw the government into a panic by exposing its vulnerability. We can use that to our advantage."

Jaina smiled. The simple use of the word 'we' brought a new truth to her heart. He saw her struggles and triumphs as his. Jag hurt with Jaina; he soared with her as well. "You have an idea."

Jag's expression hinted to that subtle grin all his own. "Yes."

"You've had one all along," she teased.

He looked like a child caught in a misdeed. "Maybe…"

Jaina fell into Jag's chest, wrapping her arms around her husband's strong build. "I don't deserve you." She lifted her cheek off his dress shirt to peer into his loving eyes. "But will you share your idea?"

"All I have is yours." Jag accepted a tender kiss as Jaina stretched up on her toes. He folded his arms over the jacket still draped across Jaina's shoulders, then tightened them possessively. "I think we should go see Cal right now."

"Really?"

"Don't you trust me?" His eyes twinkled mischievously.

"With my life," she sighed.

The robed figure swept into the anteroom causing a dreadful silence to fall like a suffocating cloak. The three humans turned from their various tasks to take in the ominous sight he imposed with his mere presence. If they could have seen past the shadow of the cowl, the trio would have seen the leer of satisfaction that slipped across the figure's face as their fear fed his ravenous need to dominate.

One after the other, each of the dark uniformed minions wrapped up their assignment and disappeared through the front entrance until finally he was alone. Crossing the room, the man paused before the mirrored door leading to his final destination. Two yellow eyes stared back at him, studying with a single-minded intensity.

_What happened to the blue?_

Two hands reached up to grasp the rim of the hood, the fingers on the right hand hidden behind the protective aurodium covering that tapered into metallic talons. Drawing back on the heavy black material, he revealed a once handsome face, now a reminder of a debt still owed. A hideous scar traced from below the right eye, through the right corner of the mouth until disappearing into the bold line of the chin.

He blinked those yellow eyes. Once they had been a vibrant green, but over the last year the cool tones had evaporated until all that was left was the lambent amber tones. Not that he really minded the change. The old union of blue and yellow only reminded him of what he had lost. Green held too many comparisons to the other two – the one who held the heart he desired and the other who shared a Force bond that was meant for him. Each would be made to pay for what they had stolen.

Nostrils flared and eyes narrowed to slits. There was some feral satisfaction in the hunt that had begun that day. As always, an untiring hunter would realize his prey. Only in the last week had his patience paid off with the first sighting of the prize. This would be no ordinary chase though; the stakes were entirely too high.

Eyes flailed open, but they no longer saw themselves in the mirror.

_A delicate hand with the smoothest skin was there before his eyes. He felt the fingertips brush the forehead, the touch was so delicate. The press of her palm was cool on the brow. Oh what heaven it was to feel her hand once again. _

Then he remembered that it was she who had forsaken him, denied him for too long, and chosen another. It was time to remind her of where she belonged.

The image blared between the vast expanse of time and space. His message delivered with such stunning swiftness and brutal truth that he felt the shock pour back along the captive connection. He willed the certainty of what would come to pass into her consciousness. She fought him, refused to acknowledge the truth. She was so strong, but that spirit was what drew him to her like a Ryloth moth to a flame.

Digging deeper, he drew into the dark tendrils all around him. Finally his desire thrust past her barriers, and he burrowed the knowledge as she fought him the whole way. He planted the dark seed in the pit of her soul just as it was time to retreat. He wanted to take only one thing away, a stolen kiss, something to last until they were reunited again. He was about to claim his prize when another awareness blasted him away with a crushing blow.

"_No!"_

Reality of the yellow eyes in the mirror came back in a rush of inhaled air. _Damn the green eyes._

Another presence interrupted his thoughts and dragged him reluctantly back to the present. She was calling to him, his Master. The usual bile he felt in her presence rose in his gut. It was nothing more than simple hate. He harnessed the power it supplied him and used it to wrap himself in the darkness. She was more powerful, and he still had much to learn. He was better disciplined though, his training as a Jedi allowing him to refine and hone the skills she instilled to him in their sessions. Soon, his need for her would no longer exist.

For now he must suffer the consequences of his actions earlier. He had performed his mission well, setting in motion one part of his Master's scheme to undermine the new tentative peace, but then he had seen the girl who reminded him so much of his heart's desire. The thought of his love's double being slain before his eyes would have been too unbearable. So he had spared the girl, using her as a temporary balm to his wanton heart. No part of his darkened soul could conceive of killing the one woman who held his thoughts captive, not even in effigy. He felt his Master's anger, the fury stroking him in the summons. He had deviated from the plan to satisfy his personal agenda; he would have to pay a price.

_Patience. All things in time._ He willed the door open with a simple act of his mind. The power flowed all around in his protective shroud. He pushed the hate into a quiet corner as he stepped into the dark chamber. Across the spacious room rested a lone chair centered before a large holodisplay showing the galaxy in an array of colors. Slowly the enormous chair swiveled to reveal his Master while her voice sizzled throughout the room, echoing off every available wall.

"Welcome home, Zekk."

Through the window, the night sky was beginning to glow with the warm pinks of dawn on the distant horizon. Sitting propped against a pillow on the bed, Jag put the final edits on the files for the Twin Suns morning briefing and powered down his datapad with the flip of his thumb. Beside him Jaina nursed Keira, and for the first time in the long night his wife appeared at peace as her eyelids blinked wearily.

Jaina was fighting off the strains of a long day with every breath. He almost wished she would just succumb, but he knew sleep might be worse than the control of staying awake. Since the harrowing ordeal where the Trickster emblem was transferred from Kyta Kale to Jaina's hand, neither of them had spoken of the incident directly. In true Jaina fashion, his wife disregarded the suffering that obviously scorched her soul in the same way her hand bore the horrible burn and had persevered until she achieved her objective.

Jag had felt the greatest pride as she had taken his ideas, spiced them up with a flair that was undeniably her own, then marched into the Chief of State's office for a late night meeting. Not more than an hour later she had walked out the commander of the Galactic Alliance's new supersquadron. On the trip home, they had, as a couple, excitedly prepared for the next day, when Jaina would reveal her agreement to a sure-to-be-stunned group of unsuspecting accomplices.

Preparations were interrupted when they had arrived home. Helping Jaina escape from the cinching laces of the beautiful red dress, Jag had been momentarily distracted from the evening's goal. Jaina had encouraged his loving ministrations until they were making love, but there was no doubt in Jag's mind that his wife was trying to banish the demon of the day in their tender but passionate joining.

Realizing Keira had finished her meal with her mother, who was now within seconds of dozing off, Jag moved to take his daughter. Jaina lurched to fully alert and stopped him, hugging Keira desperately to her chest for a moment. He waited as Jaina lavished kisses on the black fuzzy head. As the infant protested the coddling, a single tear slipped down his wife's cheek before she offered Keira up to her father.

Gently, Jag carried his daughter to her crib, soothing her back to ensure the effects of the greedy meal offered no discomfort. To his relief, Keira was sound asleep in his arms quicker than he could run through a start-up checklist. He gently settled her on the firm mattress, taking a moment to simply admire the peaceful sight. In Keira's innocent mind, the world was pure and perfect with only minor disruptions to her peace, like being fed a little too late. Fortunately, for now, she was blissfully unaware of the events unfolding around her. For as long as he could, Jag would keep it that way.

After heaving a gentle sigh, Jag turned back to the other woman in his life, the one who had forgotten her innocence too long ago. She watched him with those caf-filled eyes until he settled a hip on the bed next to her. Before Jag could say anything, Jaina reached up with her fingers to silence his words. Then she drew up on her knees so they were face to face.

Jaina searched his eyes for a moment before reaching a decision, which was evident by the set of her mouth. With her uninjured hand, she reached up to place a cool palm on his forehead. Jag braced for the truth he knew was coming.

Over time, the union of their thoughts had become comfortable and easy, and a connection was formed almost instantaneously. However, the turmoil in Jaina's mind was far from comforting and even harder to bear. Sights and images buffeted his senses just as Jaina had lived them earlier. They were all very real and palpable as if truths had been planted in her mind against her will.

Jag tried to accept the visions, but the reality of what had happened was enough to boil a cauldron of revulsion deep within his soul. In this simple act, Zekk had invaded his wife's mind and violated her with his evil thoughts. Jag could feel the other man's sick desire to possess Jaina. There was no love only a mania that sucked on everything good and pure in his wife and threatened to consume her.

Finally he was repulsed to the point that Jag could no longer accept what he saw. He loosed an anguished cry.

"No!"

The images stopped. Only then did Jag realize tears were streaming down his cheeks in a deluge of agony. Jaina's hand lowered from his forehead so her thumb could stroke the pain away. The bandaged hand came up to his other cheek, and she cupped his face. Suddenly her lips were joining his, kissing away the pain. Jag tasted tears on her lips. Those salty drops were a bitter reminder that, while he felt sickened by the events, his wife was the one who had been ravaged in her mind and soul.

He tried to kiss away the pain while as a couple they wept. Finally Jag needed to be closer so he drew Jaina into his arms, nestling her against his chest. He stroked her hair and planted more kisses on top of her head as they rocked back and forth in a comforting rhythm. As Jag bent his cheek down to rest on Jaina's head, he squeezed her a little tighter. In one simple act, Jaina had broken his heart into a million pieces with the knowledge she had supplied and then mended it whole again with her undying faith in him to take away her pain.

Finishing the report on his datapad, Wedge glanced from Jag back to Jaina in disbelief. He lowered his eyes and reread the last paragraph, then switched back to the dispatch sent over that morning from Cal Omas himself, ordering the general to proceed with reestablishing Twin Suns Squadron with due haste. Wedge realized his slack-jawed appearance before shutting his mouth with a _clack _of his teeth.

A delighted snort proceeded his announcement. "Well, I have never…" He chuckled, shaking his head. "I take that back. I recall pulling off some similar stunts in my day, but this one has got to take the ryshcate."

Bouncing Keira on her knee, Jaina smiled appreciatively. "Really, it was all Jag's idea. I simply executed the maneuver to the designated specs."

The general grinned. "The wiles of an Antilles combined with the nerves of a Solo - a deadly combination indeed."

Keira screeched her agreement before Jaina scooped her up to blow kisses on the excited infant's belly. "Time for Mommy's little girl to go to Daddy."

Wedge watched as Keira was transferred from one parent to the next. He noted the seemingly unspoken conversation occurring as Jaina leaned over to spend one last moment with her husband and child. There was no denying the dark circles rimming the young woman's eyes, nor the haunted expression that clouded his nephew's features. And yet, never before had Jaina and Jag seemed more in tune to each other, united on all fronts. Jag had even come to Starfighter Command on his last day of freedom simply to be with his wife.

Wedge wondered what exactly had happened when the Trickster symbol had been transferred to Jaina's hand. Iella could tell him little except that Kyp had insisted his wife not question Jaina on the matter. He had said there was no gain in the asking and only a world of hurt in the telling. Iella had chosen to trust the Jedi's judgment where Jaina was concerned. Jaina's voice interrupted his musings.

"Are you ready, sir?"

The young colonel was standing at attention before his desk, dressed in her uniform. For all of Jaina's ability to rub against the grain, when push came to shove she was a soldier through and through. The only concession to her femininity was the array of braids fashioned high atop the back of her head. One look at Jaina would send up danger signals; by impression alone she was a force to be reckoned with.

Wedge's gaze shifted momentarily to Jag, who stared at his wife with eyes full of pride from his seated position behind her. Then the general met Jaina's stare. "After you, Commander."

Jaina tipped her head before spinning on her heel. Wedge followed as the petite woman strode out of the office and down the hall past two doors. Arriving at the third, she swept her hand across the access panel causing the door to slide open. First Jaina, then Wedge marched into the small conference room.

The assortment of individuals arrayed around the table looked up in unison, more confusion than answers shown on their varied features, as everyone caught sight of Jaina and Wedge. Appropriately, Jaina moved to the vacant end of the table and took the seat adjacent to the position of power. Wedge offered a general greeting as he fell into place at the head of the table, Jaina now at his left.

He surveyed the room, taking in Jaina's choices one by one, stopping once to offer a wry smile to his unsuspecting wife, who looked upon her husband like he had pulled one over on her.

Wedge cleared his throat of its early morning gruffness, then proceed. "Good morning. I am sure everyone here is anxious to discover the reason each of you has been called to Starfighter Command this morning. So I will dispense with the formalities and cut to the power cables as Jaina likes to say."

Everyone smiled at the young woman in appreciation of the personal jab. While all eyes were directed her way, Wedge made his announcement. "With that said, I would like to introduce to you the commander of Starfighter Command's newest not so new squadron – Twin Suns." Excited murmurs filled the room. Wedge waited until they died down. "In true Solo fashion, Jaina has secured an agreement with Cal Omas personally, which provides for Twin Suns to retain certain privileges and duties not usually associated with a normal starfighter squadron.

"Although Twin Suns is directly under my command, it will be considered a joint and cooperative operation between the Jedi Council, Intelligence, and the Galactic Alliance military. This will allow various degrees of flexibility in deployment and use. I think this idea harks back to the day of the Wraiths, and the delicate times we are in will certainly benefit from the elasticity this arrangement allows us." Wedge eyed Jaina momentarily, letting the news sink in for the others. "Jaina, would you like to explain to these folks why they have been given the news first?"

Jaina tipped her head to Wedge before turning to face her handpicked gathering. "Last night, I went to the Chief of State and negotiated what I think will be an acceptable understanding that will allow Twin Suns to carry on in much the same capacity it operated during the course of the war. My main concern was that Twin Suns not be pegged into a rigid role, especially not as a political toy to boost enlistment."

Everyone chuckled, some recalling vividly Rogue Squadron's various diplomatic functions years before that had been a sorely misplaced utilization of manpower.

"In order to ensure that Twin Suns will be able to operate in the best interest of all the agencies involved, we have agreed to form a council to oversee Twin Suns actions. The council will consist of members picked to represent Starfighter Command, Intel, and the Jedi Council – with the Chief of State and myself choosing one representative in each area. The council will decide on the best utilization of Twin Suns with my commanding officer having the decisive vote in split decisions."

Jaina turned to Iella first, as they were seated across from each other. "Iella, I have chosen you to represent the Intel community's interest to the council. I have the utmost faith in your ability to see the big picture in all matters."

Reaching across the table, Iella placed a warm hand over Jaina's and offered a gentle squeeze. "I am honored." Then the older woman chuckled. "And a little bit in awe that you could pull this one off, dear girl. You may have one-upped your Uncle Wedge finally."

Wedge coughed into his fist as the two women shared a laugh at his expense. Jaina waited until Iella released her hand before moving on to the next member sitting one chair down. Wedge noted the subtle unease in the set of Jaina's shoulders as she took a quick deep breath. By the time she exhaled, her calm was restored.

"Corran, I have the deepest respect for you as a Jedi and a pilot. On top of that you have abundant experience in intelligence work. For that reason you were one of my first choices for this council. I will understand however if you choose not to participate because Valin will be a member of Twin Suns."

The Corellian Jedi remained immobile and unreadable for several heartbeats. During that time the tension was palpable. Finally he blinked slowly and acknowledged his captive audience. "I am honored by your request. I feel I can serve my son best by sitting on this council and looking out for the entire squadron's best interest."

Jaina leaned forward in her chair, folding her good hand over the bandaged hand on the table. "Thanks." Her answer was simple, but all at the table could feel her excitement. She flicked her head to the man sitting to her right.

Tycho shared a conspiratorial grin with Jaina. He spoke before Jaina could. "I would love to, but who do I represent?"

Wedge answered. "Me."

"He means Starfighter Command," Jaina laughed. "There were no provisions that the representative be active in the organization they were representing. I suppose Cal thought I requested the stipulation so I could choose a retiree, but Jag worked that into the deal specifically with you in mind."

Tycho thumbed over his shoulder at the final member to be introduced. "So what is this fool doing here?"

Jaina spun to greet Face Loran seated next to Tycho. "There is also a member at large for both myself and the Chief of State." She leaned forward to get a better angle at the former actor who was having a hard time hiding his surprise. "I suppose you are wondering why I chose you?"

"You could say that," the handsome face replied.

"Well, I have to confess. I have had a crush since I saw your first holo, so I seized the chance…" The rest was lost in the sounds of raucous laughter.

Hidden in the depths of a meditation garden in the Jedi Praxeum, Jag sat propped against a tree with Jaina nestled in his arms, lost somewhere in meditation. The sunshine filtered through the canopy overhead casting dancing shadows across his wife's serene face. For the first time since the meeting with Kyta the day before, the anguished lines were softened. There was nowhere Jag would rather be at this moment.

After passing Keira off to his mother and father, who would not be attending the afternoon ceremony, Jaina had wanted time to organize her thoughts. So together they had stolen away from the pre-ceremony obligatory greetings, trying to find a safe haven. Fortunately the Jedi Praxeum was designed to provide plenty of places to seek inner peace.

Jag smoothed away a couple of loose curls that had been blown over Jaina's cheek in the passing of a refreshing breeze. She did not respond to his touch, but that was to be expected. Sometimes Jag wished he could escape to the bliss she found in the Force. For now he just hoped Jaina was finding the focus necessary to pull off a speech she had too little time to prepare and no time to practice. In his heart he hoped her speech was as powerful as she secretly wished, but his mind acknowledged that time and circumstance were not on Jaina's side.

"Enjoying the scenery?"

Jag glanced up, squinting against the shifting sunshine and could barely make out the red-gold halo of Mara's hair. "Yes, I was."

"It's time."

"Did you let her know?" Movement in his arms was enough of an answer. Jag looked down as Jaina rolled her head to meet his gaze. "Hello, gorgeous."

She blinked her brown orbs lazily, telling him that she had found her calm, at least for the moment. "Hello." Then she stretched her arms up and wrapped them around Jag's neck.

Jag bent over and tenderly accepted an offered kiss. Pulling away reluctantly, Jag helped push Jaina to her feet before joining her. "Ready?"

Jaina curled her lips into a rueful smile. "As I'll ever be." Meeting up with Mara near the entrance to the garden, Jaina grinned at her aunt. "Isn't there a pressing Jedi mission that needs my attention somewhere?"

Mara wrapped an arm around her niece, and together they strolled into the main walkway heading for the newly built Ceremonial Hall farther into the complex. "Not today, young lady." Jag hung back, allowing the two women some time together. Mara always seemed to ground Jaina. Obviously sensing Jaina's current anxiety about the speech, Mara tugged Jaina a little closer. "You'll do fine. Your uncle and I have the utmost confidence in you, Jaina."

Jaina dropped her head on Mara's shoulder. "Thanks." Then she popped her head up and turned her neck so Jag could see his wife's beautiful profile. "Hey, how are you feeling today?"

"Better," the Master answered as they wandered into a more occupied area. "I had a decent night's sleep and Luke spoiled me rotten this morning." Mara glanced down at the injured hand swinging at Jaina's side. "And how about you? I understand you had a rough night."

Craning her neck farther around, Jaina's eyes briefly connected with Jag's before she turned back to her companion. "We'll be fine." She paused. "Has anyone heard from Kyp?"

Mara inhaled deeply before replying, "No. I am sure he is fine though."

Instead of commenting, Jaina walked silently next to Mara as they passed through a node in the center of the campus. Here they had to dodge and dart around the growing throngs of Jedi and dignitaries heading for the Ceremonial Hall. Mara seemed to be guiding Jaina away from the general flow when she stopped suddenly.

Jag heard his wife excuse herself before jogging off after a couple. He closed the distance until he was standing next to Mara, who was watching Jaina with a perplexed expression. Jag could not help but notice the absent-minded rubbing of her palm across the ever-so-slight swell of the Jedi Master's stomach. She flipped her auburn tresses in order to address Jag directly.

"I wonder what that's all about?"

Eyeing Jaina, he noticed some of the enthusiasm of the morning returning in her mannerisms and stance. By the set of her shoulders, he could tell Colonel Solo-Fel had taken charge. He noted the enormous dark-haired man his wife was speaking with and lanky blonde Jedi at his side. "I believe that is Kell Tainer."

"Yes, and his wife Tyria. She came back for the dedication today," Mara remarked.

"Ah," Jag stated while a subtle curl of his lip followed. "I believe my wife is doing some recruiting."

Mara shook her head. "That niece of mine can be so single-minded when she sets her mind on something. Luke told me she managed to wrangle old Cal into pretty much giving her Twin Suns on a terenthium platter. If I didn't know better…"

Jag noticed Jaina's alert stance just as Mara's voice tapered off. Without warning Jaina's lightsaber snapped from the belt of her Jedi robes into her bandaged hand. Jedi everywhere seemed to have heeded the sudden alarm raised by Jaina's actions and began moving in their direction in a hurry. He ignored all this and followed Jaina's gaze as his hand instinctively reached for his blaster at the sight of five Yuuzhan Vong approaching his wife at a brisk walk.

Mara's fierce grip around his wrist forced Jag's fingers to open and release the blaster back into the holster. "It's all right. They mean no harm."

Jag never took his eyes off Jaina, standing ready to charge despite the other Jedi around, who were all realizing the misunderstanding and backing down. "Well, you better tell her that."

As if on cue, Tyria stretched out a hand to guide Jaina's battle ready arm down to her side. The tall blonde said something only Jaina could hear to which she tipped her head. Mara hissed a sigh, then strode over to Jaina with Jag on her heels.

The Jedi Master acknowledged Tyria for a moment. "Thanks for the save, Tyria." Then she turned to Jaina. "Sorry, we should have warned you." Jaina's widened brown eyes were focused on the approaching Yuuzhan Vong as Mara explained hurriedly. "That is Master Shaper Itop Lawaad. He will be teaching here at the Academy." Jaina shot a piercing glare at her aunt. "He has been anxious to meet you."

As Jag slipped to his wife's side, she instinctively clutched his hand. Her trembling fingers were so out of character, he pulled her hand over so he could hold it in both of his hands before his body. A few seconds later the shaking had faded completely. The Yuuzhan Vong were only a few steps away at this point, and even Jag found his nerves were raw with anxiety.

Jaina spoke to her aunt in a low resolved tone. "What a day for changes. I guess it's time I learned to accept the truth. My enemy is now my friend and my friend is now my enemy." Then she donned her bravest face and marched over to greet Master Shaper Lawaad.

Considering the events of the last day, Jaina felt only a slight sense of tingling nerves as she sat between Jag and her father listening to her uncle's introductory words before inviting her to the podium. Sitting among the hundreds of Jedi, for the first time in ages assembled in one place, she felt a profound sense of unity and peace. Now, in this place, she felt like the weight of the galaxy was bearable in the shared effort. She was not alone.

Gazing into the blue eyes of Luke Skywalker, founding member and undisputed leader of the new Order of Jedi Knights tasked with protecting the galaxy, Jaina listened carefully to his closing words. "…and she chose to disregard her own health and that of her child to accept the burden thrust upon her by the Force. She did it without hesitation or question. If her life had been the cost to save the galaxy, I believe Jaina would have paid the price. For certain she almost did many times over. For that reason, Jaina Solo-Fel represents what each of us, as Jedi, should aspire to become – selfless vessels willing to put our faith in the wisdom of the Force." He paused and met Jaina's stare. "I ask that you welcome someone I am very proud to call my niece and a Jedi Knight. Distinguished guests, I give you the commander of the Galactic Alliance's premiere starfighter squadron, Twin Suns - Colonel Jaina Solo-Fel."

Thunderous applause swelled throughout the hall, washing across Jaina in an overwhelming wave of emotion. Her father rubbed her shoulder affectionately at the same time that Jag squeezed her hand, instilling her with all his love and strength. Her husband leaned over to whisper in her ear, "Clear skies."

Jaina smiled then scooted out of her seat and stepped past Jag into the wide aisle, stopping momentarily to smooth the lines of her Jedi robes. Amid the dimming applause, Jaina mounted the steps of the dais to greet her uncle where he waited with a proud grin. They hugged before she turned to head for the podium. Reaching her destination, Jaina placed her hands palms down on the wooden plane left for those who required speaker's notes. She studied the fine details of the wood grain, using the moment to find her center. A tendril of long hair fell over her shoulder, and Jaina brushed it back with her injured hand.

Finally, she elevated her eyes and stared out into the masses. "Good afternoon." She paused and swallowed, suddenly grasping the true gravity of her situation as thousands of eyes stared back at her. "It is an honor to be asked to speak today at the dedication of the new Jedi Praxeum. When Master Skywalker first asked me, I was a little awed and definitely overwhelmed. My first thoughts were, 'Why me?' Knowing my uncle well enough, I knew better than to ask, so I did what any good Jedi would do. I meditated on it." Smiles filled the audience as Jedi expressed their appreciation for her words. There was not one Jedi in the room who had failed to learn that very lesson from Master Luke Skywalker.

"I suppose my initial reaction was that I had been chosen because I was Master Skywalker's niece. Some other part of me wondered if it had anything to do with my role in the war. Both seemed like viable choices, but they were too obvious and only part of the puzzle. So I pushed further, asking the Force for that extra little bit of inspiration with which it can be so generous at times and so frugal with at others, and this is what I discovered…" She let the words hang for a moment. "I am merely a bridge."

Jaina met her uncle's stare from the front row, and his smile told her she was correct. "We are gathered here today to herald the opening of an academy that will teach and educate the Jedi of tomorrow. Jedi like my uncle, Master Hamner, Master Cighal, and Master Durron have built the Jedi Order back up from the one sole hope of a farmboy on Tatooine to what we see here today. Others, like my brothers, Octa Ramis, Lowbacca and many more were the first to venture out from the former Jedi Academy and embark on paths as Jedi Knights in our own rights. Now we are the teachers, the guides, the link between what was and what will become the New Jedi Order.

"So I asked myself why Master Skywalker chose me to represent the bridge my generation will become. Although history may see my actions over the last couple of years as worthy of the company of Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles, in my own eyes, I have not led an exemplary life as a Jedi. I tend to be swayed too easily by my emotions. I chose to fight the Yuuzhan Vong before many of the Jedi were ready to accept the necessity of defending our claim to the galaxy. And most of all, I crossed the line no Jedi should ever cross. I chose to achieve my victories without thought to my methods or my means. I chose the darkness."

Pausing at the painful reminder, Jaina felt a familiar presence touch her, offering the support that was always there. Her eyes shot up to see Kyp slipping into a row near the front to take a seat beside Drue. Jaina's shoulders relaxed as a hidden fear was vanquished from her soul in that moment. Going on seemed all the more easy. "So now I find that I am not only one bridge, the link between generations, but also a bridge between the lowest valley a Jedi may roam to the pinnacle of what can be achieved.

"In my lowest time, I learned my most painful lessons as a Jedi. I learned that hate can separate the bonds formed at birth, bonds that were once thought unbreakable." From the front row, Jacen's pursed mouth was a grim reminder of the loneliness of separation for the twins. "I betrayed the trust of my closest friend, and others I simply pushed away. Worst of all, I shoved aside the one person who had nurtured me as a Jedi, my Master, and chose to take another." Jaina watched as Mara brushed aside a tear, then she had to fight her own brimming eyes with rapid blinks. "The hurt I caused will forever be a scar on my memory.

"But with the help of a dear friend and the love of one man, I found my way back to the light. It was not an easy path. There were times when I was resigned to the inevitability of my own death in the war, when I chose to cut ties to everyone believing that way those I loved would be spared the pain of losing me. Now I see that although I had denied the darkness, I had not embraced the light either.

"But the Force had more faith in me than I did, and it kept giving and giving until I found my way back to the light. These trials were necessary steps for me to fulfill my destiny – a destiny not of my chosing but the Force's. And in these lessons were forged the sturdy columns that support the span which leads into the light."

Jaina looked to her uncle once again, and continued to speak as if no one else was present. "During my knighting ceremony, my uncle bestowed upon me the title of Sword of the Jedi. I was not prepared for the words spoken to me at the moment. It was simply the will of the Force, delivered to me through my uncle's voice. Over time though, I came to recognize the title as an honor and embraced my calling. The Sword of the Jedi is simply one hat among many I have learned to wear. Although the burden has been heavy, there have always been others to share my load, and for this I am truly blessed." Luke blinked once slowly just as Jaina sent him a reassuring brush. Together they accepted the truth, and unspoken regrets were washed away.

Jaina raised her eyes to send her words out into the masses. "As the Sword of the Jedi I am merely an instrument of the Force much like our lightsabers. Without the hand, the sword is useless, and without the arm, the hand cannot wield the weapon's strength. The arm needs a body, the body needs a heart, the heart needs a mind, and the mind needs a soul. So you see, it takes all of us cooperating in the Force, acting in unison like the individual cells of a body to achieve our goal.

"And here again I find myself bridging yet another gap. The Jedi are just specialized cells among billions and billions of others. Without the different variations of cells no part of the intricately crafted body can survive. We must remember as Jedi that we are blessed with the most treasured of gifts – the ability to sense the Force. With that gift comes obligations to protect and to serve. We are not meant to hole up in these hallowed walls and hide from the galaxy, but rather to embrace it. As much as those not blessed with our unique gifts need the Jedi, the Jedi need everyone else."

Jaina looked into her husband's proud eyes. "I have learned more about faith, duty and honor from a Force-blind man than I ever learned in all my Jedi training." She tore her liquid brown eyes away as the bond shared between them threatened to break her resolve. "So too must all Jedi look outside of ourselves for answers concerning the Force. One year ago, the goal of the Jedi and non-Jedi alike was simply to survive. Our imminent doom united us in a common purpose. It was not until we could put aside our differences and grow beyond our weaknesses that we could brandish the Sword and defeat the enemy. That was the will of the Force."

Jaina stopped for a moment, taking in the captive audience with a sweep of her eyes. Her voice was softer as she resumed. "Now, we have a tentative peace, a gift, a new hope. That was our destiny, but we had to believe it as a unified front to achieve it. My brother Anakin understood this better than most. It wasn't until some time after his death that I learned to accept what he took at face value. You see, I always thought Anakin was more like me, acting instinctively in the Force, taking the power of life all around and drawing on it, but Anakin saw so much more.

"Woven through those strands that connect all life are the filaments that run forward and back through time, connecting the past to the present and the present to the future. Those connecting strands are our providence, our lot in life. That is not to say we lack free will, not at all, for we do have a choice. We can choose to accept the guidance of the Force, to be protected by the powerful bonds of life that have been, are now, and will be our sanctuary."

Jaina rubbed her thumb across the pattern of growth in the wooden podium. "Or we can choose to cross against the grain, against the designs in the intricate fabric of the Force. Then, we are no better than a loose string that becomes nothing more than a disposable weakness, a flaw. My brother Anakin, in his finest moment, chose to immerse himself in the living threads strengthened in an intricate weave with those fibers that guide our fate. In that instant he was the Force – raw and powerful and beautiful."

Jaina swatted away a tear as her vision of the audience was reduced to nothing more than a blur. "Now, those whom Anakin left behind, we are the bridge to the future. The bridge is only as strong as the materials used to build it, and then only as strong as the method by which they are united together. So our goal, here at this Jedi Praxeum, should be to teach tomorrow's Jedi how to not only draw on the living essence that flows around all life, but to strengthen it with the unifying ties that know no bounds such as time or space.

"Only then will we, as Jedi, be able to cross that bridge into our future."


	12. Jaina

JAINA

CHAPTER 11

"_Choose."_

"_What?" Jaina felt stunned at the demand placed upon her. "Choose what?"_

"_You are in control, Jaina Solo. Who will be next?"_

_Jaina shut her eyes tightly, wishing she were anywhere but here. When she opened them she was still in the chamber; the two shadowy figures were still huddled against the wall, their backs to her making them indistinguishable. She thought they seemed familiar, but it was hard to be sure, the shadows obscured everything. _

"_Your choice," the voice demanded._

"_You can't ask that," Jaina said. She glanced down. "I don't know."_

_Jaina felt the pinch of long, sharp nails digging into her neck as the ominous voice returned, the accompanying breath reeking of death as it rolled unseen past her cheek in a twisted caress. "Choose, Jaina."_

_She shut her eyes in disgust. Another familiar voice offered her support. "Jaina, you _can_ choose."_

_Opening her eyes to seek out the new voice, Jaina called out in a whisper. "Jag?" _

"_You can choose me." Jag's answer came from the figure to her left. He was standing now, facing her. His eyes were filled with sorrow, but also a silent plea._

_Jaina could not bear to look at him, so she turned her gaze to the other. Unlike Jag, he had nothing to say. He had risen as well. Free of his shackles, he stood in the shadows, hidden in plain sight. She could barely make out the outline of lanky shoulders hunched over to mask a still-developing frame._

"_Who are you?"_

"_Don't you know?" The hissed taunt from behind reminded Jaina of the terrible predicament she was facing. She must know. Why else would her gut be a twisted mess of indecision? Her mind reeled, and a numbing white noise harassed her senses in some horrific moment of reckoning._

"_Maybe I can shed some light on the situation." No sooner had her captor spoken than a streak of force lightning blasted from his free hand while the other tightened its paralyzing grip on her neck._

_The young man stumbled forward as if the tendril of energy had some yanked him from the shadows. The blast of light highlighted his brown hair that fell all around in careless disarray. He tripped and fell at Jaina's feet, overcome by the pain. The lightning stopped, and with down-turned eyes, she watched the heaving shoulders sob in pain._

"_Please. Make it stop." The prostrate form begged, then he lifted his face so big brown eyes stared back at her._

_Jaina wanted to reach out, to offer some comfort, but a powerful grip ripped her away. Pinchers dug into her neck, commanding her to do their master's bidding. Jaina fell into some invisible shield, transfixed in place. The master of her dream spun Jaina in place, his beady yellowish eyes boring into her._

_Jaina gasped at the sight._

"_You _will_ choose, Jaina." Zekk spat at her._

_She tried to fight him, to summon the Force to no avail. She felt abandoned and helpless, hopeless and desperate. She was alone. She had no choice, and all around her was darkness. It was trying to envelop her very being._

"_Choose or I will choose for you."_

_Jaina slammed her eyes shut and resisted. "No."_

"_You have chosen."_

_She heard the bolt of energy crackle in the air. Jaina's eyes flew open. She was in a meadow of tall green grass. Volleys of Force lightning flew past. This time the young man rolled and twisted as the immeasurable power of the Dark Side battered his body. She heard a scream – no – screams – more than one to be certain, only later realizing one of the voices was her own._

_Jaina and Jag cried out in unison. "NOOOOO!!!"_

_Jaina was powerless to move, but Jag was running for the other man. Before he reached the writhing body, a powerful shock wave rolled across the meadow to pick Jag forcefully off his feet. He never reached his destination. Instead, he flew helplessly through the air and disappeared over a nearby precipice. Jaina felt Jag plummeting, growing farther and farther away until he crashed into oblivion and was lost to her._

_Overcome by the awful truth, Jaina struggled against Zekk's grip, and a sudden surge of power afforded her the strength to break free. Her first steps were off-balance, and she fell to her knees. Pushed up on her hands, she was greeted by the sightless brown-eyed gaze of the young man lying lifeless on the grass beside her. _

_With bile rising in her gut, Jaina fought her sickened body, forcing it to stand, all the while holding herself with one hand. Her fingers found the rising swell of her stomach, and she started to remember. In that instant, the pain was so overwhelming; Jaina thought her world was turning inside out. Her sight began to disappear like a hood closing in from all sides, darkening the world. She tried to fight it, to summon the Force to no avail. The bliss of the darkness was all-consuming; it took away the pain._

_A new voice called out. "Jaina, don't give in."_

_Jaina spun, seeking the comforting voice. Everywhere there was darkness, like a heavy obsidian fog encasing her in a cold cloak. She felt it seep into her pores and begin to consume her. A brilliant flash of light pierced the aphotic web as a cry echoed from everywhere and nowhere, pleading to be heeded._

"_Jaina! Jaina!"_

"Jaina?"

A firm hand shook her shoulder, and Jaina bolted upright in her seat. She blinked a couple times before getting her bearings. Seated at the helm of the nondescript freighter commandeered by Twin Suns several missions before, she stared out at the ever-changing lines of hyperspace, using the moment to quiet her racing heart. Out of the corner of her eye, Jaina saw Valin slip into the co-pilot's chair.

"What did you call me?" Jaina focused her brown discerning gaze on her apprentice, watching for the certain blush.

"Sorry, Master. You weren't answering to anything else." To the young man's credit the hint of rising scarlet only made it to his ears.

"Please, anything but Master." Jaina tapped the port sub-light engine light until it blinked on to reveal a positive green color. "You know I hate that. It makes me feel old."

"As opposed to Colonel or sir?"

Jaina snorted. "All right. Point taken, Fly Boy." She shook her head, glad for the distraction from her troubled thoughts. "I will admit, I don't know why that bothers me so much, but it does. So do it for my sake."

"I'll try."

Ignoring her apprentice's attempt to get Jaina to say something Masterly, she worked casually on running checks to all vital systems. A strained silence hung in the air between the two Jedi for over a minute. Valin slowly spun his chair to stare at Jaina. She braced for the inevitable question.

"You had one of those dreams again."

_Getting braver. Just a simple stating of the facts, not even a question this time. _Her apprentice deserved no less than an honest reply, so Jaina spun her own seat to face him. "Yes."

"Are you going to record your memories like Master Skywalker suggested?" Sometimes Valin was like looking into a mirror. He could be as bold as Jaina ever was.

"Later, we have more pressing concerns, like extracting Fee without making a debacle of the whole thing like we did on Yonson." Jaina winced inwardly as Valin did the same outwardly. It was thoughtless of her to bring up the last mission where the young man's miscalculation nearly cost the entire squadron their lives. "Sorry, you know I don't hold that against you," she reassured her apprentice. "It's just that we have been chasing leads on the Circle of Retribution for two years. I am tired of feeling them slip through our fingers at every turn. When we find them, we find Zekk."

"And only then will your dreams stop."

Jaina nodded her agreement to Valin's analysis.

Rapid keystrokes flew from Fee's fingers as she kept one eye trained on the screen and the other on the burly captain of the decrepit hauler. He was winding his way along the various stations on the bridge, looking over shoulders, making sure all his charges were working hard to ensure more credits fell into his tight fist. In a matter of seconds, he would be close enough to see that her display screen was not churning out navigational data but rather finishing the run on a detailed encryption program.

She forced her eyes to focus on the task at hand during the last critical keystrokes, just as the clinking of his thick-soled boots plodded the last couple of steps to her station. With a deft flip of her fifth finger, she closed the primary screen just as the program spit out its final result.

As the warm noxious breath of the aged spacer floated a little too close to her ear, Fee fought the urge to wince. The edges of the man's beard tickled her ear as Captain Dozier inspected her work. Pretending like she had been checking the next rendezvous coordinates all along, the auburn-haired woman kept up a confident rhythm to her movements, ignoring his obvious advances as always. There was some satisfaction in knowing this would be the last time she would have to endure such treatment and Dozier would get his just reward.

"Time to the next drop from hyperspace, Tia," he purred into her ear.

Rolling her unseen eyes, Fee imagined backhanding the lecherous forever-groping fool into the next station, then stifled the impulse just as quickly with a well-schooled calming technique. It would not do for her to lose her cool at this critical juncture in her mission.

"We are on schedule, sir. Reversion to hyperspace in a little over five minutes," she spoke in modulated, professional tone.

"Hmmpf," was the extent of the reply. Her casual rebuff, as always, had sullied his mood. Dozier straightened, then traipsed toward the front of the bridge without another thought.

When he was out of earshot, Fee muttered, "Rude monkey lizard."

A snicker from the next station reminded Fee she was still not alone. She turned and managed a smile to Garreth, the payload expert at the next station over. They had spent many hours holed up in the bowels of the bridge, working side by side since Fee had joined the crew a few weeks earlier when the navigation officer had fallen mysteriously ill. In, that time, Garreth had proven a harmless fellow, completely happy to count inventory and totally unaware that he was working for a captain who operated well outside the law.

"Gets to you sometimes, he does," the yellow-skinned humanoid whispered.

Fee tipped her head and raised her eyebrows in an affirmative. She glanced at her wristchrono and realized Garreth's attention could not have come at a worse time. She reviewed her options quickly then leaned closer to stare into his wide obsidian eyes.

"I'm going to run out to the refresher. That meal chef made really did a number on me today. I'll be back before we revert."

She figured this was a safe enough excuse, and it fell in line with her frequent trips in and out of the bridge all day. Fee never even waited for a response, slipping out of her chair in a hasty rush for the door.

"Don't take too long. Captain Dozier won't take too kindly to you missing…" Garreth called after her, but Fee lost most of his scolding as she ducked out the back door of the bridge before anyone else noticed.

Moving efficiently down the long corridor that ran from the bridge along the entire length of the elongated freight hauler, Fee did her best to not call attention to herself. Her internal clock told her there was less than a minute until the hyperspace drop, barely enough time for her to hotwire an escape pod and get inside.

She dropped her head to shuffle past one crewmember. Thankfully, the Rodian was in too big of a hurry to take notice. Slowing as he past, Fee timed her duck down the access way to the escape pods so he was well beyond her location. She continued past the first two pods drawing to a halt before the third pod's access panel.

Whipping out a tiny multitool, Fee managed to remove the panel's cover plate in a matter of seconds. She fished the dataport out of her jumpsuit pocket and plugged it into the exposed innards. With the clock ticking precariously close to the drop time, Fee could feel the pounding of her heart increasing with each beat. The sound of it echoed in her ears louder and louder.

"Kriff, hurry up already," she admonished the Intel dataport designed to break any passcodes without calling attention to the effort. She was sure a blaster would have opened the door quicker, but that would surely have sounded the alarm.

_Ten. Nine. Eight. No time._

Fee reached for her blaster.

"What are you doing back here, Tia?"

Spinning to face the voice, Fee dropped her hand casually to her side. The captain's henchman Jonkin, a rangy Corellian, was framed in the opening to the pod access way, his long legs spread shoulder width apart, fists planted on his hips. The ship shuddered violently and both of them had to grab hold of the nearest solid object to stay upright. Just as the hauler finished the reversion to realspace, the dataport emitted a low beep.

Fee winced.

"What was that?"

"Oh, that. Just running a check on the escape pods' nav systems." Dismissing Jonkin, Fee turned back to face the dataport, which indicated with a steady blinking light that the passcode had been successfully overridden. She raised her right hand hoping she could punch the opening mechanism and make a break for freedom. "This one seems to be…"

"Hold it right there!"

Fee froze in place. The hairs standing up on the back of her neck were enough indication for her to know he had a blaster aimed directly at her head. She turned slowly, taking care to not make any hasty moves. "Is there a problem," she queried in her sweetest voice.

"I don't know what you are up to…" He eyed the dataport plugged into the exposed panel, then looked back to Fee as he eased closer. "…but I suspect….UMMMMPF!"

Fee's booted foot hooked Jonkin's leg right at the knee, sending him crashing into the wall. As the man tumbled forward, her knee connected with his nose to drive him backward with a splash of blood.

"Sorry, gotta go," she quipped while punching the button to release the seals on the door.

As the seldom-used door hissed open with a rush of stale air, Fee yanked the dataport out of the panel before ducking down to squeeze through the tiny door. She stepped over the bulkhead with her right foot, then followed with her left. An unseen hand clamped down on her calf and suddenly the ground was rushing up to meet Fee.

Her right shoulder hit the ground with a thud while her legs crashed painfully into the thin lip of the threshold. Fee kicked her free leg desperately, as Jonkin yanked her across the opening. The durasteel edge raked across every bony part of her body. Reaching blindly, she managed to find a handhold and braced against pull. Finally with some purchase, she spun onto her back to get a better view of her opponent.

At some point the muscle-bound thug had released Fee's leg. She realized too late this was because he was halfway to standing. Fee blindly searched for her blaster hidden in the utility pocket on her leg. At the same time, she scrambled back into the pod as Jonkin leveled his own. Fee yanked her tiny blaster, not even taking time to aim before squeezing the trigger.

Slipping through the undergrowth, Tahiri stretched her fledgling senses that recognized Yuuzhan Vong life in the Force. Ahead she felt her quarry stumbling through the brush. There were four of them in all, each brimming with anxious determination. Tahiri stepped over the fallen branch of a Ronyon tree before breaking into a jog.

"Do you sense them now?" Jacen's voice reflected no signs of the stress resulting from their two-hour long trek across the Hiana Forest Preserve located in the southern hemisphere of Coruscant.

She grunted a reply, "Uh-huh." Any more would have distracted her from the task of tracking the latest group of hold-outs resisting the Naboo Treaty, which mandated the relocation of all Yuuzhan Vong settlers from Coruscant before the ultimate relocation of the Galactic Government seat to its former home. Throughout the new wilderness, which covered most of Coruscant now, were still hidden pockets of Yuuzhan Vong who balked at being reintegrated with their domains settled on any number of planets throughout the galaxy.

"Your lessons have been paying off. There aren't many Jedi who have been able to tap into the part of the Force where Yuuzhan Vong life can be felt."

Tahiri decided no answer was better than the sharp retort balancing on the tip of her tongue. Instead she ducked silently under the next low branch without breaking stride. In her mind, the task of learning to feel the Yuuzhan Vong had been dreadfully slow, too slow. All the Jedi had struggled to break past barriers they could not see. It was true she was one of a limited group who had any mastery of the skill at all, but still she could not help the disappointment that rose up as she recalled too many lessons with no progress whatsoever.

Ahead, one of the Yuuzhan Vong separated from the rest. Jacen surely sensed it as well. Like Jaina, he had no trouble detecting the foreign vibrations in the Force. Without a word he indicated a shift in their path toward the solitary life sign that had broken off from the pack.

Tahiri glanced over her shoulder as she angled her direction to an intercept vector with their prey. "What are you thinking?"

"If we can catch one of them, maybe he will lead us to the rest."

"You still don't understand the Yuuzhan Vong, my dear friend," she snorted.

The pair of the Jedi reached a small clearing, and Jacen caught Tahiri easily with Force-assisted strides. Sparing a sideways glance, he flashed the infamous Solo half-grin at her, bringing back powerful memories of Anakin. "Maybe not, but I understand the Force."

"I'm not the one you need to impress with your _mastery_ of the Force," Tahiri countered playfully. For a moment she wondered if perhaps taking a jab at the fact that his twin had been named a Jedi Master before him was more of a cruel dig than good-natured fun. Yet Tahiri detected no surge of jealousy or any other negative emotions from Jacen. Those petty feelings tended to be beneath him; this instance proved no exception.

"No, today it's just one scared Yuuzhan Vong child who is about to discover the perils of Hiana Forest," he replied. Then he broke sharply to the left and blasted away into the dense cluster of trees in an effort to close a net on their victim.

Tahiri did not even try to fathom what Jacen was talking about. She simply stepped her pace up a notch as well. Plunging into the undergrowth, Tahiri determined she was closing the distance with every step. Allowing the rhythm of her stride and the pattern of her breathing to draw her into a semi-meditative state, the blonde Jedi tapped into the vast wealth of information available in the Force, waiting to be read like an open book.

The Yuuzhan Vong's movements were erratic and unpracticed. There was no logic or sense to them. Additionally, proximity allowed her to begin to take measure and form a mental picture as the target dodged among the trees directly ahead. He, Tahiri sensed the gender instinctively, was smaller than she was. Combining this knowledge with the sporadic flight, she realized Jacen had been right on one count. They were definitely chasing a child.

Tahiri had little time to relish in her personal growth for she could now hear the fast-paced patter of feet on the leaf-covered ground not more than a few meters ahead. A quick check told her that Jacen had circled around and was closing from the opposite direction. Capture of the troublesome child was imminent.

A flash of color was her first impression of the Yuuzhan Vong boy, a trailing piece of living cloth glimpsed through the foliage of the forest. Tahiri jumped a log, then ducked a branch before making a quick turn to the right in pursuit. A blast of sunlight momentarily blinded her as the dense cover opened to the banks of a wide river. She blinked, never faltering in her chase, using the Force to guide her footsteps. The harsh white of the light melted slowly into a flurry of sights.

Ahead, the milky-skinned Yuuzhan Vong veered off, forced in one direction by the impassable river. At the same time, Jacen emerged from a thicket, blocking the youngster's path. Stumbling to a halt, arms flailing, the child vacillated between several possible decisions, eyeing the river, the forest, and the two Jedi boxing him in.

Inexplicably, he angled for the river. Tahiri could sense the overwhelming panic rolling off the youngster in waves. Only sheer terror would drive him to make this choice. In a burst of speed, she veered sharply in order to intercept the child and made a diving grab before he reached the water.

Tumbling in a mass of thrashing arms, they rolled down the bank to land on the exposed riverbed, where low rains had depleted the water level enough to uncover the loamy edges. Their energy dissipated, drawn into the sand as Tahiri struggled to keep clear of tiny, but powerful, fists and bony heels all aimed in her direction.

Finally, stopped on her back with the Yuuzhan Vong child in her arms, Tahiri tried to rise. The effort produced no upward movement, only a sudden sense of foreboding. A cool feeling began to envelop Tahiri at the same time she realized she was sinking. Jacen's call from the bank above was lost in the melee as the child reacted with even greater resistance once realizing their fate.

Drifting farther and farther into the waterlogged sands of the riverbed, Tahiri refused to panic. She was a Jedi; she was better than that. Unfortunately, her captive was only making matters worse with his frantic movements. Tahiri opened her mouth to offer some comforting words in his language only to be met with a mouthful of mud. She spit it out in disgust just as her arms and shoulders were devoured in the thick oozy soil.

Tahiri knew enough about quickbogs to understand the importance of remaining still. Any action would only increase her descent. For this reason her Jedi reflexes caused her to begin to relax, and the child broke free. Suddenly, she had become his stepping stone and in a matter of seconds, Tahiri was completely immersed in the sand.

As she continued down, the struggles above, kicking feet and clawing hands, only increased as the child lost any purchase, and they both were submerged. It would have been a simple matter to will herself out of the bog, but Tahiri had to think of another life as well. She was unsure she could manage to grasp the Yuuzhan Vong with her limited perceptions in the Force. Even Jacen still had trouble levitating Yuuzhan Vong life. She had to be able to grab onto the child and hoist them out by levitating her body.

Above Jacen was already working the tendrils of the Force, reaching for them both and struggling with the boy. Tahiri focused one simple thought in her mind and projected it across the distance. _Wait!_

Then she took a moment to relax and slow her bodily functions to preserve the air in her lungs. The struggling child was sinking faster, so Tahiri knew she would have to act quickly. She tried to open the part of her mind that was now learning to recognize the Yuuzhan Vong; she tried to bridge the gap between their minds. Jaina had succeeded in creating a mental link with the Supreme Overlord once, and Jacen had learned to speak to the world brain. Tahiri had tried and failed to duplicate this feat in her time spent with Jacen on Coruscant, so she held little hope of making a connection.

_Do or do not. There is no try._

Jacen supported her from above, and Tahiri felt the sting of the admonishment. Her lungs demanded to be fed, and her brain protested the claustrophobia of her predicament. She had to save this scared child; she had to find some common ground. A realization hit Tahiri in a moment she could only describe as an epiphany. There was a scared Yuuzhan Vong child trapped inside her who could relate to this boy. Years ago, Anakin had banished Riina to the back of her mind, but she was there still. Fleeting memories and occasional nightmares left little doubt of that.

Everyone, Jedi and Yuuzhan Vong alike, had held such hopes that the One-who-was-shaped would bridge the gap in the Force much like Jaina had. Tahiri suddenly realized why she had failed until now. She had not permitted herself to release Riina from her prison. Just like this innocent child, Riina was another victim of the general misunderstandings that had initially plagued Yuuzhan Vong relations with the rest of the galaxy. Perhaps she was not so much an unwanted invader but a potential ally. If Tahiri could accept Riina then maybe she could accept all Yuuzhan Vong in the Force.

Trying to open a long sealed door, Tahiri pounded the gilded barrier she had erected between herself and her alter ego until it burst open with a flourish. In that moment, a whole new world opened up to the young Jedi. She recognized the child next to her as plainly as she could have felt Jacen or Rane. His thoughts sang across the suffocating mud in a clearly readable script. Tahiri used the instant wave of relief washing over her to placate the boy in their newly formed bond, and she whispered soothing Yuuzhan Vong words in his mind. Seconds later, the child relaxed and fell into her arms.

Instantly Tahiri felt herself rising out of the sand, she and the Yuuzhan Vong child clinging to each other. With Jacen's aid, it was a matter of a few heartbeats before the rush of life-giving air burst into two sets of satisfied lungs. Dragging each other to the solid bank, Tahiri and the child ended face up, gasping for air.

"Are you all right?"

Tahiri opened her eyes to greet Jacen's concerned brown-eyed gaze. She could only manage a nod. Then a faint pressure on her hand gave Tahiri enough energy to raise her head. Staring down, she smiled at the sight of the child's hand clutching hers. Without hesitation, she squeezed the boy's hand back. Today, a miscreant child had taught Tahiri more about the Force than she had learned in two years of painstaking study. For that, she would be eternally grateful.

The swirling lines of hyperspace dissolved into the bright pinpoints of light recognizable as realspace. Looming ahead, an elongated freight hauler hung in the viewport. Several other smaller cargo ships like the one Jaina was piloting were beginning their initial approaches to the respective containers being detached systematically by automated mechanical arms. Freight haulers were simplistic in design with a long string of open structured sections. Each segment held standard-sized containers that could be rotated in and out easily to facilitate efficient on and off-loading at any number of points along the hauler's route.

By all appearances, it seemed to Jaina she had timed the reversion to mere seconds after the freight hauler had arrived. Jaina visually scanned the surrounding blackness of space, trying to detect any anomalous escape pods floating away from the ship. At the same time, she augmented her senses by reading the various levels of the Force. "Keep your distance, Fly Boy, but don't look like you're trying to keep your distance."

"How exactly do you suggest I do that," Valin quipped from the copilot's chair.

"I don't know, fly casual. I am sure they will start hailing us momentarily. Hopefully, Fee is punching out in that escape pod as we speak…"

The plan was so simple. Fee, after spending several weeks onboard Hum Dozier's ship gathering intel, would skim a large sum of profits and funnel them to untraceable accounts in order to appear as if she were some sort of con-artist. At the designated rendezvous point, she would commandeer an escape pod, then blast out of the freighter. Jaina and Valin would scoop up the errant pod before jumping to hyperspace. For all appearances, the crooked spacer would think he had been swindled by a small time operation. Dozier, a known sympathizer with the Circle of Retribution, would never realize he had been picked clean of vital intelligence at the same time. For some reason, simple was not the feeling to describe the twisting in Jaina's gut at the moment.

Fee's Force abilities had improved considerably over the last two years. Jaina had instructed the woman on basic skills when time permitted, but the demands of family, Twin Suns, her own apprentice, and teaching at the Praxeum always seemed to take precedence. The one latent skill Jaina had managed to hone successfully was Fee's telepathic abilities. The auburn-haired woman had the potent ability to enter people's thoughts, and it had been easy for Jaina to form a telepathic connection with her wingman. At this moment, Fee was utterly silent in Jaina's mind.

"I have a real bad feeling about this."

Valin shot his Master a concerned glance, brows furrowed indignantly. "Where is she?"

Jaina shut out the pounding of her heart that usually went along with sudden and imminent doom. "I don't know…" Just then the hail button began to beep on the console between the two Jedi. "Put on that headset and deal with them," she ordered curtly.

Valin grabbed the equipment as instructed, whipping it onto his head hurriedly. "What do you want me to say?"

"You'll think of something." Jaina dismissed him with a wave of her hand. She had faith in his ability; he was a Horn after all. "Oh, and while you're at it, fly this thing closer."

Valin opened his mouth to protest, then shut it just as quickly with a loud _clack_ of his teeth. Jaina ignored him, shutting her eyes and falling into the Force. She could not make any decisions without knowing exactly what they were up against. Fee's mind was quiet in the Force, but after careful searching Jaina was able to locate her onboard the freight hauler.

There seemed to be some residual panic surrounding the woman, but from Fee Jaina got no real sense at all, only a fuzzy haze of distorted thoughts and images. Digging deep within herself, Jaina drew on the connection to her wingman. Jaina was not inherently proficient at telepathic linking, but it was not beyond the realm of possibility for her to burrow past the woman's hazy senses. She simply had to reverse the line of exchange that Fee usually initiated. Jaina visualized a mental strand connecting her mind to Fee; she wrapped herself around it. Then, without uttering a sound, Jaina shouted into the Force, sending a mental summons. _Fee!_

_Jaina? _A faint flicker of consciousness answered back, then fell silent.

Once more, Jaina called out through the connection in her mind. _Fee, wake up!_

This time Jaina recognized the startled alertness as Fee jolted back to reality. In her waking confusion, the operative managed to pass along several fleeting images and thoughts. Jaina witnessed a struggle followed by a stun blast. She felt varying degrees of muted pain and a grim resolve. _Leave me_, was the plaintive cry.

Ignoring the desperate demand, Jaina instilled a confident air in her next thoughts. _Hold tight. We're coming._ She sent a reassuring brush through their connection after sensing a momentary rush of panic from the other woman, then snapped her eyes open.

"Give me the controls, Valin."

The young man released his copilot's yoke immediately and reverted the piloting controls to Jaina's station with the flip of a switch on the console. "Something's up. They're really jumpy over there. I managed to convince the controller we are picking up a shipment for the Senji Consortium."

"Plucking thoughts from the controller's mind, my young apprentice," Jaina scolded playfully.

"I did the best I could," he countered.

"I'm sure you did." Jaina did not struggle with the toying of minds when it was a matter of her squadmate's life or the enemy's. Valin had not resolved that issue in his mind quite yet, so it was easy to harass the young Jedi into finding his way to a decision. "I don't think, however, they are going to buy that line in a moment." Jaina slammed the yoke forward, kicking the aged freighter forward with a sudden lurch of acceleration.

Valin's shoulders slammed into the back of his chair at the unexpected move. He caught his breath and hesitantly asked the question troubling him. "So what's the plan?"

"Fee is in trouble. I can't tell exactly what happened, but she is hurt pretty bad. Picking up cargo won't get us on that ship, which is where we need to be." Jaina concentrated intently on the gaping hangar that yawned before them like a hungry maw. "So we are going to crash the party."

Valin eyed the closing distance between their freighter and the hauler, then cinched his crash harness tighter. "You aren't planning on dropping into the main hangar unannounced, are you?"

Jaina grinned mischievously. "Have you got a better suggestion," she asked while dialing the shields to protect the front of the ship.

"Uh, no. But dropping in unannounced on a ship of money-grubbing thugs is not my idea of brilliant either." Valin threw off his headset as the hauler's controller squawked in his ear. He studied his Master for a moment before proceeding. "You know, when Mara did this a few years back in order to rescue you, she had the _Shadow_, not a bucket of bolts loaded down with three X-wings. As it is, we'll be a tight fit in there." The male Jedi indicated the approaching hangar with a tip of his head.

Jaina leaned back into her seat reflexively as the first blasts of canon fire ricocheted off the shields. "Uh-huh."

"So, do you still think this is a good plan?" Valin's voice reflected the agitation leaking into his mental composure.

"Nope. Just don't have time to come up with another one. If we don't get in there fast, Fee is as good as dead." _And a year's worth of work is down the tubes_, she added silently. Jaina lined up her approach, then calmly spared a moment to glance over at Valin, whose wide-eyed stare revealed the true extent of his concern. Usually, Valin was right there beside her, game for any task. The fact that the young man was visibly nervous gave her insight to the risk that was at hand.

"It will be fine, Valin." He turned to meet her stare. "I promise."

Those words, in and of themselves, were enough to quiet his fears. He nodded before turning back to make preparations for what possibly could be a suicidal task. There was no time to dwell on eventualities or probable outcomes. They had a mission to complete – to extract Fee safely. Jaina pushed all extraneous thoughts from her mind, disregarding the buffeting of the ship and the blinding flashes of canon fire, only partially dimmed by the darkened transparisteel. She drew on the Force, allowing it to fill her and center her. With one last thought, she sent a mental summons halfway across the system to Tyria before turning her entire being's focus on getting Valin and Fee out of this alive.

Not a second later, the fragile freighter burst across the magcon barrier that kept atmosphere within the large hangar and the cold vacuum of space at bay. Jaina had held her insane speed on the approach, knowing too much time exposed to the laser canons would only hurt their chances of coming out unscathed and allow the crew too much time to prepare. Instinctively connecting with Valin, Jaina silently instructed her apprentice to activate the repulsors at the same time she reversed the engines and fired the maneuvering thrusters.

The weathered durasteel members within the ship groaned their protest to the excessive tensile and torsional stresses exerted along their lengths. The engines whined a high-pitched wail as they heeded Jaina's urgent demand for power. At the same time, the repulsors popped and fired while accepting loads well beyond their capacity.

Despite the inhuman reflexes of two determined Jedi, the large craft plummeted to the smooth floor, landing with a deafening crash as the landing skids screeched in vain until they broke off. Jaina and Valin jerked hard against their restraints, twice – once on the landing and second as the freighter dropped onto its belly. Still firing off maneuvering jets in series to slow the sliding freighter, Jaina's white-knuckled grip was the only outward sign of strain amid sparking cockpit controls. A couple of parked shuttles and fighters bounced out of their way, hastening their deceleration somewhat. A handful of support crew dove for cover to escape the chaos that filled the bay.

Not until the far wall of the hangar drew ominously close did Jaina even mutter a sound. "Uh, this is going to hurt…"

Side by side, Tahiri and Jacen followed several paces behind the Yuuzhan Vong boy, who slipped silently through the forest. Following his near-death experience, the child had shown a startling turn-around in his demeanor. His unfounded fear had been replaced by newfound respect for the Jedi. Unexpectedly, he had beckoned for them to follow him into the forest as if he had some secret to reveal.

Tahiri absent-mindedly tried to bat away the drying dirt from her ears and golden hair. Solid clumps crumbled beneath her grime-covered fingers resulting in an exasperated groan. Tahiri felt Jacen's amused gaze before she even spared him an annoyed glance.

"Did I tell you that look suits you?"

Tahiri glowered from beneath her lashes. "Shut up." Tahiri held her arms out from her side and lowered her eyes to study the mud-plastered Jedi robes caked to her body. "There is absolutely nothing funny about my current state."

"Sorry." Jacen tried to affect a sincere tone and simultaneously wipe the smirk from his face. He failed miserably on both counts.

Tahiri tried to maintain her penetrating scowl, but the raging duel on Jacen's features were enough to crack a hint of a smile. Seconds later, snickers erupted and grew until the two Jedi were holding their sides, fighting off fits of laughter. The Yuuzhan Vong boy glanced over his shoulder curiously to study his two companions. His scrutinizing gaze caused Tahiri and Jacen to stifle their guffaws in unison.

"I am curious exactly what he is thinking," Jacen wondered out loud.

Tahiri watched in amazement as their ward stopped where he was and affected a twisted semblance of a human smile before pointing at her. "_Do'at tun nog_," he stated simply, then snorted as if to emphasize the point.

Slowly a smile grew across her face. She never broke her silent exchange with the child as Jacen queried her hesitantly. "What's he saying?"

Tahiri momentarily cast her gaze at Jacen. "That he agrees with you. He said this is a good look for me. I can't be sure, but I think he just made a joke."

She turned and addressed the boy, using the opening he provided to start up a conversation in a language she understood better than she could speak it. The child obliged, cautiously answering all her questions, but insisted they continue on their journey. Jacen fell into step behind the pair, unable to do more than make out an occasional familiar Yuuzhan Vong word here or there.

So engrossed in learning anything she could about the boy, Tahiri was surprised when he stopped just as they stepped into a clearing. He extended a hand out in an inviting sweep, forcing her gaze across the flat meadow surrounded on all sides by trees. Jacen emanated the same sense of wonder as the two Jedi took in the site before them.

Filling the plain were twenty or more makeshift structures, most hobbled out of whatever material the forest offered. Smoke of tended fires billowed out of many as Yuuzhan Vong of every age and type scurried about their every day lives. As the Jedi observed the secret community silently, one of the villagers and then another noticed the unexpected guests. Slowly, a united congregation moved their way. The boy stood bravely by the Jedi's side, but Tahiri sensed a gnawing doubt enter his determined aura as the crowd closed in.

As the pack of Yuuzhan Vong neared, it was plainly obvious most of the adults were identifiable as what their people called the Shamed Ones. Odd, malformed attachments and misshaped tattoos riddled their bodies. The children, on the other hand, all appeared unaffected by any abnormalities. A larger male, marked by a claw-shaped implant crudely attached to one arm at the base of the elbow, stepped forward and addressed the boy. He had at one point, no doubt, been a highly ranked warrior. Now, he was nothing more than the apparent leader of a ragtag assembly of exiles.

The boy and the leader conversed in a rapid-fire exchange. The two Jedi waited silently, sensing some underlying tension. Tahiri could feel Jacen rise up on the balls of his feet and reached out with her hand, placing it gently on his forearm. The conversation was over quickly, and the male turned to his visitors. He bowed his head, then proceeded with a flourish of words as the boy sidled closer to Tahiri. Silent murmuring rippled through the gathering as he finished until at last the leader fell silent.

Tahiri felt Jacen's inquisitive stare. She swung her blonde ponytail aside to meet his wide-eyed curiosity, emphasized by the high arch of his right eyebrow. "So?" he asked.

Tahiri glanced from Jacen to the boy, then back to her friend. "It seems we have rescued the village leader's son. He is now in our debt."

"Let's hope he still feels that way when we tell him that his village can't stay here," Jacen reminded the younger Jedi of their duty. "It is fortunate for us that the boy…"

"Klint," she interrupted. "His name is Klint."

"As I was saying, it's fortunate for us that Klint led us to his village…" The leader beckoned with a swipe of his deformed claw, and Tahiri walked away from Jacen in mid-sentence. "Hey…where are you going?"

Tahiri glanced over her shoulder flippantly at Jacen, standing with his legs parted and his hands propped on his hips. "To have some lunch."

"What about getting back so we can arrange to get all these Yuuzhan Vong moved?" He was addressing her backside now. "We have a tight schedule to meet…"

Tahiri never looked back as she called out. "Then we'll just have to make time." She stopped and spun in place so Jacen could see the sincerity on her eyes. "Jacen, this is important. We are going to rip these people from their homes. We owe them the courtesy of simple respect. Don't you think?"

The male Solo twin remained silent for several breaths, only blinking his eyelids thoughtfully. Finally, he tipped his head and trotted over to join his fellow Jedi for a meal.

Repositioning his long legs for the fifth time in a little more than an hour, Kell realized Twin Suns had been floating among the lifeless chunks of asteroids for entirely too long. Every part of his body screamed in protest over the forced confinement as the nine X-wings waited dutifully for a sign that Fee had been extracted successfully. Then, it would be a simple matter of assembling and jumping out of the system the same way they came. The squadron was only supposed to be halfway across the system from the rendezvous point as a precautionary measure, a short jump away if something were to go awry.

"Five, I have got something."

It was Tyria's disembodied voice trickling into the cockpit. He keyed the comm with his index finger. "Go ahead."

"We need to go." His wife sounded concerned.

"Standby." Kell flipped to the squadron's main frequency. "Twin Suns, it's time for a new dawn. Lifting in five." A series of klicks confirmed his orders before Kell isolated his communication back to Tyria alone. "What's up?"

He powered up the repulsors before easing up on the stick. Rising gracefully from the lumbering asteroid, Kell's fighter led the way out of the daunting debris field toward the open expanse of space. "It's not Lead or Nine, but there seems to be trouble with Two. That's the sense I got. Everything was hurried and confused. Lead isn't quite the telepath Two can be."

Eight snubfighters were arranged behind him now, four angling back to either side. In practiced unison, the depleted squadron accelerated forward, away from the gravitational field of the planet the asteroids ringed. Kell ran the jump coordinates one last time through the computer before transmitting them to the entire squadron.

"Anything else, Six?" he queried his wife hurriedly. "Direction from Lead? Brilliant insight from the Force?"

"Yes, but you aren't going to like it," Tyria whispered across the vacuum of space separating them.

Kell inhaled sharply. "Let me have it."

"I got two clear words through all that…" Tyria paused.

"Now I know I am not going to like this," he said without bothering to trigger the comm button.

"…Saber Strike."

Kell muttered a curse before answering. "Tell me why it is that Lead always has to do everything the hard way?" There was no response, but Kell could plainly make out his wife's glower as clearly as if she were there in the cockpit with him. "Never mind. Forget I said anything."

His astromech, Thirteen-Too, beeped, indicating Twin Suns had cleared all gravitational wells. Inhaling sharply, Kell flipped the comm back to address the squadron. "This is Five. Jump coordinates have been confirmed and forwarded to your nav computers. We'll jump on my mark. Saber Strike protocol has been established. Everyone knows the drill. Six and Twelve will assist Lead as required. The rest of us will provide cover as instructed. Eleven?"

"Go ahead," Tanner Kale, Three Flight's leader, responded.

"You're down two now, so you'll take Three and Four."

"Copy that, Five."

Nodding to himself silently, the temporary commander prepared to give the final order. "Twin Suns. Three. Two. One. Mark."

Kell engaged his hyperdrive engines a fraction of a second after the rest of Twin Suns disappeared into a vortex of light. The usual tension he felt before a furball was exacerbated by the protesting of his cramped muscles. Rolling his shoulders and cracking his knuckles, Kell tried to reenergize his body so he did not land in the middle of the fight flat-footed. The worst part of these types of situations was the not knowing. Was Jaina's ship under attack from the freight hauler? Had they successfully grabbed Fee? Or were any number of alternative scenarios they simulated being played out? In two minutes, he would have all the answers he sought and probably even more questions.

Hissing from the fire prevention system was the first sound Jaina could hear once the ringing in her ears subsided. Slouched against her restraints, she straightened slowly, waiting for the inevitable protest of bruised or broken body parts. Remarkably, she did not feel anything beyond mild discomfort. A wet trickle over her eyebrow drew her hand up. She fingered the warm blood, tracing it to a gash in her hairline.

A low groan from beside her banished all thought of her personal discomfort. Jaina turned to her apprentice as he, too, roused from having been momentarily knocked senseless. Her hands quickly discarded her crash belts, and Jaina knelt before Valin as his mind fought to clarify his situation. Her senses now alert and adrenaline flowing through her veins, Jaina was battle ready in the passing of a couple heartbeats.

A gentle but firm hand guided Valin back against his seat. "Are you okay?"

Valin squeezed his eyelids and inhaled one deep breath. "I…" The rest was lost in painful coughs.

Jaina swore softly as she quickly released the young man's restraints. She nudged away his hand where it had instinctively covered a tender spot on his side. He grimaced as Jaina's gently-placed fingertips probed over the fourth and fifth ribs. She could feel his body drawing on the healing tendrils of the Force already, pushing aside pain at the same time that it worked to mend unseen injuries.

"I'm fine. Just a bruise," he gritted through his teeth.

Laser fire blasting off the transparisteel viewport drew Jaina's disapproving frown away. Unfortunately, she was not in a situation to pamper Valin, nor was he accustomed to it. In her heart, Jaina knew Valin would be fine. She just did not like the fact that her actions had caused him pain.

Turning back to Valin, Jaina touched him briefly in their bond, providing whatever strength and reassurance she could offer. She formulated a plan while helping him rise. Thankfully, Fee was now alert and ready to offer any assistance. In her mind's eye, images of a bridge appeared, plus a detailed mental map of the ship's layout. Jaina knew instantly what had to be done.

Ignoring the repeated blaster fire bouncing harmlessly off the ship's hull, Jaina addressed her apprentice over the din. "The others should be here any second now. We'll go out and secure the hangar so Alema and Tyria can land." She powered down whatever systems were left running while Valin reached for their small utility packs stored behind the copilot's seat. "I want you to stay behind in the hangar and keep it clear until they arrive. After that, I'll let you know where I need assistance."

Jaina grabbed her pack from Valin's outstretched hand. She scrutinized him with a sharp eye. "And don't go changing the plan without contacting me first."

"But…" He grabbed the back of his head with one hand as Jaina popped him silently with her patented Force-slap. "Owww!"

Jaina spun on her heel and snapped the silver lightsaber hilt from the utility belt on her non-descript uniform. "Now is not the time, kiddo."

Valin dropped into step behind her, hushed by his Master's rebuke. He fingered his lightsaber as they passed quickly down the narrow passage to the exit. Jaina stopped at the control panel and faced Valin. "Ready?"

He nodded.

"Watch your weakside with those ribs…" Valin's glare stopped any further instructions. She simply placed a cool palm on his cheek for a moment and stared into his brown eyes. "Sorry." The statement was seemingly simple, but it meant so much more.

Jaina tore her gaze away and activated the ramp. As it lowered, she continued with her last-minute instructions. "The doors to the storage bay should be angled correctly to get the X-wings out." Jaina snapped her lightsaber to life and casually deflected a stray bolt of laser fire that sneaked through the ever-widening opening. "This freighter is history, so I need you to get the fighters ready."

"Got it," Valin answered without any hint of dissent at the same time as his lightsaber elongated in a _snap-hiss_.

"Listen to Tyria and Alema. Do what they say." Sensing his consternation at always being the bottom rung on the ladder, Jaina had to stifle a laugh. "Just think," she started before rapidly rerouting two red bolts, "you are the envy of male Jedi across the galaxy. I doubt others would complain about working with three gorgeous female Jedi."

Valin snorted. "Except that two are married to men who would rip me apart for looking sideways at their wives. That leaves Alema, and she scares me."

With Jaina in the lead, the Jedi started down the ramp, as it reached level and continued on its path to the hangar floor. They deflected shots easily. In unison, they switched their lightsabers to their left hands. With the right hand, Jaina and Valin each activated implanted personal communication devices by touching a small piece of cartilage at the front of the right ear.

"Good of you to join us, Five." Jaina spoke to her unseen comrade while closing in on the nearest aggressor, who was taking wild shots from behind the fuselage of a destroyed Y-wing.

Kell's reply activated the auditory nerve in her ear. "Couldn't let you have all the fun, Lead."

Time passed all too slowly in the isolated void of hyperspace. There was no one to share hidden fears, only the vacuum of deep space, which seemed to suck off any sense of comforting warmth at times like these. Two minutes felt like two hours, but finally the nav computer began counting down to their arrival. The anticipation was always the worst part of commanding for Kell. Only when he finally allowed instinct and adrenaline to take over in the heat of battle, his cool control had a way of balancing his sensibilities.

_Three. Two. One._

The usual jolt that accompanied the drop from hyperspace bounced Kell's massive body against his restraints. Instinctively, he scanned the tactical board, counting nine X-wings still in formation, but found no transponder signal matching Jaina's vessel. A disorganized scattering of smaller freighters hurtling away from the massive snake-like hauler filled his transparisteel canopy.

"Good of you to join us, Five." Jaina's voice sounding in the darkness of Kell's cockpit immediately squashed one fear.

"Couldn't let you have all the fun, Lead."

"You mean glory," she jibed back.

Kell found some comfort that she was still throwing verbal jabs. It meant things were tense but not out of control, at least not yet. "That, too."

A noticeable grunt crossed the comm line before Jaina continued. "No time to talk, Five. You need to keep this space slug from jumping, and I need Sabers here with me now."

"Here? Where exactly is here?" Kell guided the squadron on an intercept course with the cargo hauler.

"The main hangar. Where else?" Jaina's reply sounded as if she were answering the most simple of questions.

_Of course. Where else would Jaina end up but in the thick of it?_

"We already took out their complement of support fighters, so you should have little resistance. Tell Six and Twelve to fly straight on in, but to watch out for those laser turrets. Valin will be here to back them up."

He exhaled sharply. "I'm on it."

"Thanks, Five. Got company; got to go. Lead out."


End file.
